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- May 1, 2009
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Lake Malawi row blamed on Joyce Banda
Victoria Milanzi
George Chaponda: JB made mistakes.
The Malawi government says it will resolve the lake wrangle with Tanzania but has blamed the Joyce Banda administration for failing to resolve the matter quickly.
Minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation George Chaponda said the lake wrangle could have been resolved long time ago but the previous administration did not use the right procedures in allowing a forum led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano to mediate on the issue.
“We will resolve the Lake Malawi wrangle soon and the heads of state who are handling the matter will meet in May,” said Chaponda.
He added that he went to Mozambique where he met Joaquim Chissano and they will resolve the matter in May.
Chaponda assured Malawians that the lake belongs to Malawi no matter what.
Said Chaponda: “If the matter favors Tanzania we have no choice but to go to the International Court of Justice because the lake belongs to Malawi.”
The dispute between Malawi and Tanzania started way back at independence and the issue resurfaced when it was discovered that the lake has oil under it.
Tanzania has been claiming part of Lake Malawi is theirs while Malawi says the whole Lake Malawi belongs to her.
Victoria Milanzi
George Chaponda: JB made mistakes.
The Malawi government says it will resolve the lake wrangle with Tanzania but has blamed the Joyce Banda administration for failing to resolve the matter quickly.
Minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation George Chaponda said the lake wrangle could have been resolved long time ago but the previous administration did not use the right procedures in allowing a forum led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano to mediate on the issue.
“We will resolve the Lake Malawi wrangle soon and the heads of state who are handling the matter will meet in May,” said Chaponda.
He added that he went to Mozambique where he met Joaquim Chissano and they will resolve the matter in May.
Chaponda assured Malawians that the lake belongs to Malawi no matter what.
Said Chaponda: “If the matter favors Tanzania we have no choice but to go to the International Court of Justice because the lake belongs to Malawi.”
The dispute between Malawi and Tanzania started way back at independence and the issue resurfaced when it was discovered that the lake has oil under it.
Tanzania has been claiming part of Lake Malawi is theirs while Malawi says the whole Lake Malawi belongs to her.