Mozambique has shelved a Malawian-backed project to revive a river route between Malawi and the Indian Ocean, along the Shire and Zambezi Rivers, Radio Mozambique reported on Tuesday.
The national broadcaster quoted Foreign Affairs Minister Oldemiro Baloi as saying the government decided to abandon the project because the deadlines for carrying out environmental impact studies were not met.
The project had been drafted and proposed by the Malawian government in an attempt to open up another route to the sea for trade. But it would have to run for hundreds of miles in Mozambican territory, needing authorization from the Mozambican government.
Three countries — Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia — earlier this year signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding on the project — outlying that if the projected should be viable, a favorable environmental impact study would have to be approved first.
The development, if officially confirmed, will come as a big blow to Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika, who had staked much effort in the re-establishment of the river route as his country’s shortest route to the sea.
During the colonial days before the Sena Railways was built, the river route was Malawi (then known as Nyasaland) direct outlet to the Indian Ocean.
Source African Press Agency
