Malawi says is waiting for Mozambique to sign the draft agreement on power interconnection deal

Malawi says is waiting for Mozambique to sign the draft agreement on the proposed power interconnection deal which would determine the next step in the energy tapping process.

Principle Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mines Mr Ben Botolo says the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs already approved the draft agreement after through scrutiny and now the onus is now on Maputo to respond.

Lilongwe is working tireless to see the ball rolling as the interconnector is expected to bail out Malawi from its current energy woes.

The country has continuously downplayed fears that the agreement is a flop, saying Lilongwe stands to benefit from the pact if implemented.

According Mr Botolo the country is leaving no stone unturned to see the deal come to completion.

He said, meanwhile, Malawi has already given a nod to the draft agreement, and is waiting for Mozambique.

“We are still talking to our embassy in Mozambique to find out on how far they have gone with the draft agreement,” said Mr Botolo.

The draft agreement was co-authored by the two countries and Malawi submitted its consent through the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs late last month.

According to Mr Botolo, hope remains that the programme would commence as soon as Maputo gives a nod.

“The process cannot start until both countries sign the draft agreement,” said Mr Botolo.

Mid June the two countries drafted guidelines towards the rolling out of the transfer of electricity from Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa hydroelectric plant into Malawi.

Prior to this, heads of state for the two countries agreed in May to revive plans for Mozambique to begin supplying electric power to Malawi.

Despite being initiated some years ago, the deal faced a stumbling block when Malawi’s former president late Bingu wa Mutharika could not give a nod to the pact saying the cost outweighed its benefits .