The government and private sector convened for the 31st Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) Forum in Mzuzu last Thursday, where Public Sector co-convener Sosten Gwengwe urged the private sector to collaborate in developing Malawi’s economy.
In his remarks after the half-day meeting with business captains, Gwengwe described the meeting as crucial for sharing and discussing pertinent issues affecting businesses and the broader economy.
“This meeting is an important platform where the government, which is responsible for forming policies, and the private sector, which are the people that get their hands on the wheel in turning the fortunes of this country, come together to delve ways of making the economy move forward.
“For instance, the government has been preaching so much about Malawi being a producing nation. There have been talks about mega farms and the manufacturing sector. This requires us to join hands to make it a reality.” Said Gwengwe.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating that the government will continue facilitating and pushing for a conducive operating environment to make Malawi an inclusively wealthy the nation.
Private Sector co-convener Edith Jiya noted the progress made since their last meeting, stating, “We have made progress from the last time we met to date. We have seen a number of issues that were closed, for instance, the delays at the National Inland Center. We have also seen significant progress on the outstanding issues, for instance, issues to do with energy.
She added: “This is the evidence that the forum is working. We are progressing and we are finding solutions together as the private sector and government.
The PPD Forum is a high-level meeting that serves as a platform where stakeholders from the private sector engage with their counterparts in the public sector to address pertinent issues affecting businesses and the broader economy. It also aims to track progress on previously discussed matters and introduce new concerns raised by the private sector.
