Local Government and Rural Development Minister Ben Phiri has praised India for its contribution to Malawi’s development.
Phiri said this in Blantyre on Friday when members of the Indian community and friends of India in Malawi attended an event themed ‘Bridging Nations: Celebrating the Indian Diaspora Role’.
Indian High Commissioner to Malawi Amararam Gujar and Blantyre City Council Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman were among the attendees. Phiri was the guest of honour.
“We live in a global village where interdependence is key to development. Who you tie with diplomatically matters most and we are happy that India is one of our long-time development partners,” Phiri said.
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He said the Indian community in Malawi has contributed significantly to development, including the supply of quality products and involvement in urban development.
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Phiri also urged members of the Indian community to support efforts to improve the appearance of cities, saying better infrastructure is important for the safety of traders and the public.
“Most of the public buildings we have were constructed in the 1940s and 1960s. Buildings have a lifespan. It is high time we changed our mindset and transformed them,” he said.
On his part, Gujar said the Indian diaspora has contributed to improved standards of living across the world.
“Those in the diaspora carry with them talent and an enterprising spirit as well as principles of compassion, hard work, resilience and determination,” the envoy said.
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He added that Indians living in more than 200 territories have contributed to sectors such as culture, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, renewable energy, space technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, development assistance and vaccines.
Gujar said India and Malawi share development goals as reflected in Malawi 2063 and India’s Vision 2047, both focused on socio-economic transformation.
Others who shared experiences at the event included Honorary Trade Envoy to Malawi Mahesh Kotecha, entrepreneur Veni Ganatra and investor Yunus Lambat.
