Malawi has expressed willingness to resume talks with Tanzania to resolve a protracted territorial dispute concerning the border in Lake Nyasa, a senior official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said.
Last week, Malawi announced that it was pulling out of discussions on its border conflict with Tanzania. Malawi President Joyce Banda announced that the development came after Tanzania recently published a new map marking the boundary between the two countries in the middle of Lake Nyasa.
President Banda also claimed that there was alleged intimidation of
Malawian fishermen on the lake. “We are pleased that Malawi authorities
have decided to go back to the negotiation table,” the official said.
He said the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Mr Bernard Membe and his Malawian counterpart, Mr Ephreim Mganda Chiume, have been on consultations on resumption of the talks.
“Talks are likely to resume from October 27, this year,” the
officials said, but declined to be named and give more details. Mr Membe
said earlier this week, the recently published map was aimed at showing
new administrative areas in Tanzania following creation of new regions and districts, dismissing claims that it was meant to provoke Malawi or derail the talks.
On alleged intimidation of fishermen, the foreign affairs ministry
officials said there was a crackdown on illegal fishing activities on
the lake recently and seven people, including two from Malawi were
arrested for violating regulations. He said these people were using
banned fishnets contrary to regulations. “This is not the case of
intimidation, it is violation of regulations,” he said.
A year ago, former Malawi President Bingu Wa Mutharika, awarded oil
exploration licences to UK-based Surestream Petroleum to search for oil
in Lake Malawi (known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania). In July, Mr Membe
asked Surestream Petroleum to postpone any planned drilling on the lake.
Lake Malawi contains more than 2,000 different fish species,
attracting scuba divers and environmentalists are concerned that oil
exploration will disturb its freshwater ecosystem. Malawi claims it owns
the whole of Lake Nyasa on the basis of a 1890 treaty between former
colonial powers Britain and Germany which, it says, was later reaffirmed
by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) when the country gained its
independence in the early 1960s.
But President Jakaya Kikwete
said earlier this month that the Anglo-Germany Treaty that gave Malawi
sole ownership of the whole lake was flawed and Tanzania had every
reason to demand a review.
Source: in2eastafrica.net