Malawi: Chakwera in Washington DC, U.S. to Sign U.S.$350 Million MCC Compact


President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has arrived in Washington DC, US to sign the much awaited US$350 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact which is to give a facelift to the country’s infrastructure development.

The US embassy says the US ambassador to Malawi, ambassador Young met President Chakwera in Washington DC on Tuesday to discuss the MCC compact signing and the important progress being made toward reaching an IMF agreement.

“This is great news on the MCC compact for the long term good of Malawi’s economy,” says the embassy.

The compact comes after Malawi satisfied a set of prerequisites demanded by the US government to qualify for the compact.

The compact will give Malawi US$350 million for the construction of roads in Malawi to link farmers’ produce and markets across the country.

Earlier, President Chakwera met Malawians living in the US.

He has assured Malawians them of his total support on issues they consider important for them to make a meaningful contribution to the country.

Among other issues, expensive visa processing fees, dual citizenship and easy access to Malawi national identity cards are the ones Malawians in the US want the government to resolve.

“When we want to renew our visas and passports, we have to travel to Malawi because the embassy here cannot do them for us. We ask the government to consider these issues for us to make a positive contribution to our country,” said Professor Linda Semu, a representative of the US-Malawi Diaspora Network and the Malawi-Washington Foundation.