Malawi, Africa’s largest tobacco producer and one of Africa’s poorest nations, has been facing erratic fuel supplies from its sources in Middle East and recently a war of words flared between Malawi and Mozambique authorities, whom they accused of delaying fuel shipments destined for Malawi at its sea points at Beira.

In a midst of a fuel crisis that has spread from neighbouring, Zambia, Malawi is also under acute foreign currency shortage, which has forced President Mutharika to scale down all foreign trips for public officers as parts of cost cutting measures.

A government statement issued last Sunday said the Office of the President and Cabinet announced that President Mutharika, who was supposed to leave the country through Kamuzu International Airport on Monday, November 23, had decided to cancel his trip based on recent government policy to reduce foreign travel.

The Malawian President had directed that all persons working for the government of Malawi to reduce the number of external trips to a maximum of six in every financial or calendar year and that every trip would not exceed 14 days.

Meanwhile, an acute shortage of fuel and foreign currency has persisted in Malawi. Reports out of that country indicate that the country is threatened with reduced economic growth if no immediate measures are put in place.

And, the Malawian Government has for the first time ever held a Malawi Trade, Investment and Tourism Exhibition in the Zambian capital Lusaka.

The expo organised by the Malawian government through its High Commissioner in Lusaka is aimed at boosting trade, investment and tourism co-operation between Malawi, Zambia and other countries in Africa.

Malawi’s High Commissioner to Lusaka, Chrissie Mughogho said the first ever exhibition is aimed at increasing bilateral commercial traffic between the two southern African neighbouring states.

“ It is only through forging and promoting bilateral regional and continental operations that African countries can survive and compete effectively in international economic dispensation,” said Mughogho.