Why it Matters
Malawi’s engagement through the Central Corridor platform reflects the country’s need for more competitive routes to regional and international markets. The proposed rail connection to the TAZARA Railway Line is particularly relevant, as it would strengthen Malawi’s interface with wider regional transport networks and support trade flows through the Dar es Salaam corridor.
The meeting also placed Malawi’s road, rail, air and water transport priorities within a broader corridor framework involving Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. For shippers, manufacturers and agricultural producers, more efficient corridor systems are directly linked to lower logistics costs, improved market access and stronger regional trade competitiveness.
Malawi has used the 15th Ordinary Meeting of the Inter-State Council of Ministers of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA) to underline its focus on transport investments that reduce logistics costs, improve trade competitiveness and support economic growth across the corridor’s member states.
The meeting, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, brought together ministers, development partners and key corridor stakeholders to review progress on regional transport, trade facilitation and infrastructure initiatives. Malawi’s Minister of Transport and Public Works, Hon. Jappie Mhango, MP, chaired the meeting in his capacity as outgoing Chairperson before formally handing over the chairmanship to Rwanda for a one-year term.
Minister Mhango said regional cooperation remains central to addressing transport constraints and building efficient transport systems capable of supporting economic development. He highlighted Malawi’s commitment to strengthening connectivity through strategic investment in road, rail, air and water transport, with particular emphasis on corridors that lower the cost of doing business and improve access to regional and international markets.
Among the priorities referenced was Malawi’s proposed rail connection to the TAZARA Railway Line, a project that would strengthen the country’s access to regional transport networks and support trade flows through the wider Central Corridor framework. The Minister also noted progress on air connectivity, including the finalisation of an airline route to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The CCTTFA is a regional multilateral organisation comprising Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. It was established to facilitate efficient transit, transport and trade along the Central Corridor, an integrated multimodal transport and logistics network linking member states to the Port of Dar es Salaam.
During the meeting, ministers reviewed the implementation of key programmes and projects across the corridor, provided policy guidance and reaffirmed their commitment to stronger cooperation in transport, trade facilitation and infrastructure development. The meeting also endorsed key recommendations and decisions of the Board of Directors and adopted revised Central Corridor Protocols aimed at strengthening the corridor’s institutional and operational framework.
A significant institutional milestone was the signing of agreements for the development and financing of the Central Corridor’s permanent headquarters, Ushoroba House. The agreements were signed on behalf of the CCTTFA by Executive Secretary Adv. Flory Okandju Okonge. The financing agreement was signed with Azania Bank, represented by Managing Director Dr Esther Mang’enya, while the development agreement was signed with the National Housing Corporation, represented by Director General Hamad Abdallah.
The meeting also noted progress on the Green Economic Development Corridor initiative and wider regional infrastructure priorities, including railway, port, inland waterway transport, logistics and trade facilitation projects.
Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Officer Daisy Kambalame described the Central Corridor as an important trade gateway for Malawi, noting that efficient transport and logistics systems are essential to reducing the cost of doing business and improving the competitiveness of the country’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
The handover of the chairmanship from Malawi to Rwanda marked the conclusion of Malawi’s tenure at the head of the regional body, with member states acknowledging Malawi’s leadership and welcoming Rwanda’s role in guiding the Council’s work over the next year.
