From CHILA NAMAIKO in Lilongwe, Malawi –

• MALAWIAN President Peter Mutharika (centre) gestures as President Edgar Lungu (right) and Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique look on. This was when the three leaders met at Kamuzu Palace for private talks in Lilongwe yesterday. Picture by EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATE HOUSE

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has called for increased affirmative action among countries in the Southern African region to address the increasing effects of climate change.
Mr Lungu said the effects of climate change had adversely affected many countries, and cited Zambia and Malawi which had not been spared, thereby undermining the growth of the agriculture and energy sectors.
The two countries, he said, shared common values and needed to work closely to find more lasting solutions to increase food security being threatened by climate change.
“Our core interest demands that we meet regularly to talk about our common interests. Obviously we share so much between Zambia and Malawi.
“One of the things we are meeting on is as a result of climatic changes,” Mr Lungu said.
He was speaking to journalists here yesterday upon arrival at Kamuzu International Airport, where he was welcomed by Malawian Vice-President Saulos Kalus Chilima, defence chiefs, Zambia’s High Commissioner to Malawi Salome Mwananshiku, and senior Malawian Government officials.
President Lungu said the agriculture and energy sectors had been negatively affected due to many challenges brought about by climate change in the region.
He said it was, therefore, important that Zambia and Malawi met regularly to share ideas and explore more tangible solutions since the two countries share the same weather pattern.
He later proceeded to the President’s Walmont Hotel before he left for Kamuzu Palace to join his Malawian and Mozambique counterparts Peter Mutharika and Filipe Nyusi, respectively, in a closed-door meeting.
During the five-hour meeting, Mr Lungu and his counterparts discussed the need to strengthen and promote regional integration.
Mr Lungu called for accelerated efforts to create more business linkages to enhance the attainment of socio-economic development.
“The opening of the Nacala Corridor will reduce the cost of doing business and transportation of goods. We are looking at how to enhance trade in the SADC region,” he said.
He said the overriding development objective of the project was to enhance efficiency for improvement of traffic along the famous Nacala Corridor.
Mr Lungu said the three countries share common values, hence it was imperative to work together for the common purpose of achieving sustainable development.
Professor Mutharika said the negative effects of climate change needed concerted efforts to be addressed, adding that Malawi was ready to import about 1.2 million tonnes of maize from within the region.
The Malawian leader said the shortage of maize in his country had negatively affected about three million citizens who were in need of relief food.
He said the current maize shortage in Malawi was about 20 per cent and that his country was now looking at modalities of importing the grain from within the region.
President Nyusi said his government was ready to welcome some refugees currently residing in Zambia and Malawi who wanted to return home on a voluntary basis.
Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba later told journalists shortly before President Lungu left for Lusaka that the meeting was fruitful as it focused on various bilateral cooperation issues.
Mr Lungu, who was accompanied by Mr Kalaba, Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone, and his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, was seen off at Kamuzu International Airport by the Malawian Vice-President, defence chiefs, Ms Mwananshiku, and senior Malawian Government officials.