The Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC), leading a national delegation, successfully concluded a high-level engagement with the African Trade Platform in Johannesburg as part of the ongoing Malawi Trade Mission to South Africa.

The engagement brought together government representatives, MITC officials, and private sector exporters to identify practical solutions for expanding market access for Malawian products and strengthening regional trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Discussions focused on building efficient export pathways and enhancing Malawi’s participation in regional value chains. A key outcome of the engagement was the exploration of a regional commodity hub and warehouse facility to support the aggregation, storage, and distribution of Malawian exports into the South African and wider regional markets.

Strong market demand was identified for key Malawian agricultural and agro-processed products, including soybeans, sugar beans, groundnuts, macadamia nuts, and chillies. These commodities present significant opportunities for export expansion and value chain development, particularly within structured regional supply systems.

The engagement also highlighted the importance of integrated trade support services, including access to trade finance, logistics solutions, and secure warehousing infrastructure to improve export competitiveness. In addition, discussions explored the potential use of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to facilitate seamless cross-border transactions in local currencies, thereby reducing transaction costs and improving trade efficiency.

This milestone engagement aligns with Malawi’s broader strategy under the AfCFTA framework to expand exports, strengthen regional value chains, and attract investment into productive sectors of the economy.

Through such targeted market engagements, MITC continues to play a central role in connecting Malawian exporters to regional and global markets, facilitating strategic partnerships, and ensuring that trade opportunities are translated into tangible commercial outcomes.

MITC remains committed to advancing Malawi’s export competitiveness by building sustainable trade linkages and unlocking new market opportunities for Malawian businesses across Africa and beyond.