President Peter Mutharika has admitted that Malawi faces energy challenges, saying it is high time the country embraced renewable energy.
Speaking when he had an audience with Federal Republic of Germany Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Gerd Müller, yesterday in Lilongwe, Mutharika asked the German government to consider investing in the renewable energy sector in Malawi. “We have serious challenges in the energy sector because of climate change. We, therefore, would like to diversify the energy sector by embracing renewable energy use,” he said.
Müller said he will take Mutharika’s message to his country so that they can invest in the sector. “You [the president] have initiated important reforms in the country such as fighting corruption and inviting investors to Malawi. That is the message I am going back home with, especially considering investing in the energy sector as you indicated. This country has the potential to do well in the regard using biomass or solar energy, among others,” he said.
Müller also said considering that Malawi is addressing issues of corruption, it may be considered in the compact between Europe and African countries known as the G20 compact. Addressing journalists after the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emmanuel Fabiano, said Malawi is among countries that have expressed interest in joining the impact. “Malawi met the minimum requirements of being considered such as good governance and holding free and fair elections,” he said. Ethiopia is overseeing the G20 compact.
(Source: The Daily Times Malawi, 8th January 2019)