A report by the United Nations Development Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has called on African leaders to champion the diversification of supply chains.

Titled “The Potential of Africa to Capture Technology-Intensive Global Supply Chains” UNCTAD in the report notes that Africa has potential to build resilience of supply chains due to a number of factors that include, presence of natural resources.

It however cites that, despite boasting an abundant supply of raw materials, most African nations are failing to utilize existing resources.

UNCTAD has made several suggestions on how African nations could leverage their strengths.

Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) economist, Dr Betchani Tcheleni agrees with the findings of the report.

“We are not getting action, action-oriented leadership is missing especially  here in Malawi. It is so sad to the extent that, we are exporting raw minerals like coal,” said Tcheleni.

In 2009, the African union put forward the Africa Mining Vision to ensure that Africa utilizes its mineral resources, a sector the report notes is slowly being implemented.
 
In the MW2063 development blueprint, private sector dynamism and industrialization are among key enablers.

National Planning Commission’s Communications Manager Thom Khanje said realizing the vision demands Malawi to produce more.

Khanje said; “The pillars focus on the importance of production and business to the growth of the economy and realization of the Malawi 2063 vision, findings of the report resonate with this vision.”

Minister of Trade and Industry, Simplex Chitchyola Banda is optimistic that strategies initiated by Government on value addition will spur growth of the economy.

“We are promoting special economic zones where we are developing industrial parks to do value additions,” he said.

Malawi is a net importer but a meagre percentage of her exports are concentrated in the green gold (tobacco) which is mostly exported raw.