Lake Malawi border row mediation talks begin today in South Africa

The government of Malawi is expected to take part in the Mediation process on Lake Malawi Boundary Dispute with the Government of the Republic of Tanzania, in Pretoria, South Africa, from 11th to 12th July, 2017.

This has been disclosed in a press statement released on Monday from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation made available to faceofmalawi reporter, saying the talks will be held under the High Level Mediation Team (HLMT).

The (HLMT) is led by His Excellency Joaquim Chissano, former President of the Republic of Mozambique. Other members of the Team include His Excellency Thabo Mbeki, former President of the Republic of South Africa, and His Excellency Festus Mogae, former President of the Republic of Botswana.

According to the statement, meeting is a follow up to the last meeting which was held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 20th to 21st March, 2014, where the Governments of Malawi and Tanzania submitted their respective positions; and agreed that the HLMT should first establish the position of the boundary between the two countries.

“The position of the Government of Malawi is that the boundary is the shoreline of Lake Malawi as established by Article 1(2) of the 1890 Anglo-German Treaty.

“The Government of the Republic of Malawi, shall restate its position on the boundary of Lake Malawi and expects that the HLMT will pronounce itself on the fundamental question on where the boundary lies between the two countries, following the submissions by the two countries at the onset of the mediation process,” reads in part the statement.

Added the statement: “The Malawi Government wishes to assure the general public that it will do everything possible not to give up even a single inch of its territory.”