Tanzania submits Lake Malawi dispute papers

Tanzania Government has finally delivered its legal submission to former Sadc Heads of State team which is mediating the Lake Malawi border dispute with Malawi, Tanzania’s envoy confirmed.

Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Malawi Patrick Tsere said in an interview on Tuesday that his country is committed to the peaceful resolution of the wrangle, hence the move.

“We submitted our opinion because we want this matter to be resolved peacefully and amicably through dialogue. We are now just waiting for the mediators to brief us but certainly the time table is on course,” Tsere said.

He said his country was happy with the mediation process so far and applauded President Joyce Banda’s tackling of the matter in her State of Nation Address in Parliament.

“I am literally very happy with both sides’ conduct. Let me reiterate the message from Tanzanian government; Tanzania does not want to fight with Malawi over the lake and we will not fight over this. It will be foolish for Malawi and Tanzania to fight. On our part, we have never even contemplated that path,” Tsere added.

The envoy, however, said he was in the dark over the appointment of jurists to mediate the wrangle, but said he was confident that the former presidents will appoint impartial jurists.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Patrick Kabambe also confirmed the development yesterday, saying the mediators had reported the development to Lilongwe.

“I can confirm that I have also received information from the mediators that our Tanzanian colleagues earlier in the week also submitted their legal opinion but I have no information on exactly when.

“This is a positive step and we would now just be waiting from the former Heads of State to let us know the next course of action after they analyse the two submissions,” he said.

Malawi, a former British Protectorate and Tanzania are embroiled in a border dispute after Tanzania claimed part of Lake Malawi as its territory.

Lilongwe insists a colonial Heligoland Treaty gives it the right to own the whole Lake Malawi while Tanzania says under current international law, it owns part of the lake.

On January 31, Malawi submitted its papers to the Forum for Former Presidents on its position regarding the dispute. The forum chairperson former Mozambique president Joaquim Chissano received the papers in Mozambican capital, Maputo.