President Lazarus Chakwera has has hailed the support which United States of America (USA) provides to Malawi, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), saying it has potential to transform the country.
He made the remarks in Lilongwe on Thursday during the launch of the MCC Compact II US$350 dollars for transport and land development.
He expressed gratitude to the United States Government for its ongoing support to the Malawi Government through MCC.
Chakwera said that the commencement of the projects signifies government’s commitment to improving the country’s infrastructure and the livelihood of Malawians, ensuring improved transport through the construction of road networks which will help subsistence farmers in the agriculture sector.
These developments manifest how government is committed in improving the country’s infrastructure and livelihoods. We are dedicated to have a changed nation, all we want to see is that every Malawian should be able to provide for his or her family basic needs,” said Chakwera.
Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer for Millennium Challenge Corporation, emphasized that Compact 2 will transform the country’s transportation system, economy, and livelihoods of Malawians.
“This project will benefit more than 5.3 million Malawians. This comes because of the commitment which government of Malawi has demonstrated in boosting up the economy,” said Albright.
The Compact which is also known as the Malawi Transport and Land Compact, will significantly enhance the country’s 2063 agenda through three systematic areas of projects which include Accelerate Growth Corridor (AGC), The American Catalyst Facility For Development (ACFD) and the increased Land Productivity Project.
The $244,950,000 AGC Project aims to reduce the barriers between farm and market by improving road conditions, encouraging a more transparent and competitive business environment for transporters, and addressing first-mile transportation challenges for smallholder farmers.
The project will support policy and institutional reforms to enable better road planning and maintenance of AGCs and associated infrastructure, as well as safer conditions for women to move and conduct economic activity along the corridors.
The $8,500,000 ACFD Project is to facilitate United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) investment in Malawi to catalyze increased private investment consistent with compact objectives and increase the scale and impact of the compact.
The $44,107,000 Increased Land Productivity Project will support improved land services, better-functioning land markets, and increased investment in the land through revenue-oriented investments to increase adequate funding of land institutions at national and city levels and support institutional change in the land sector.
Revenue work at both levels equally focuses on the broader role of well-functioning property tax systems in incentivizing the productive use of land.
