The Malawi government and Egypt’s Eastern Tobacco have signed a memorandum of understanding in respect of cigarette manufacturing in Malawi, according to a story in the Nyasa Times on Thursday.
The Times reported that Eastern was ‘expected to have a ground breaking ceremony marking the commencement of the company in the country Friday at Kanengo industrial area in Lilongwe’.
Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika commended Eastern for investing in the country and pointed out that Malawi’s big tobacco crop could earn more in foreign exchange if part of it were exported as finished products.
Mutharika said that Malawi was one of the largest tobacco producers but that, over the years there had been little improvement in respect of value addition.
“Today I am pleased to sign the memorandum of understanding between the Malawi Government and the Eastern Tobacco Company of Egypt which will be involved in cigarette making,” Mutharika was quoted as saying.
“These cigarettes will be sold either within or outside the country and this will make the country gain more foreign currency,” he said.
