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Country Commercial Guides for FY 2000: Malawi Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Lilongwe, released July 1999    Note*

CHAPTER IX. Business Travel

Business Customs

106. Malawians are characteristically helpful in both personal and business dealings.

Travel Advisory and Visas

107. The Department of State has no current travel advisory for Malawi. U.S. citizens do not require visas when entering Malawi for business or vacation travel. Temporary residence permits for up to 30 days are issued upon arrival in Malawi, but extensions are often granted. U.S. citizens contemplating traveling or residing in Malawi in late 1999 or early 2000 should be aware of potential difficulties. Interruptions in services including telecommunications, electricity, air transportation, water, health care, and related or dependent infrastructure may occur. The Department of State encourages U.S. citizens to monitor the State Department internet home page at http://travel.state.gov for updates on Y2K issues.

Holidays

108. Malawi's official 1999 holidays are as follows:

January 1 (New Year's)
January 15 (John Chilembwe Day)
March 3 (Martyrs' Day)
April 10 (Good Friday)
April 13 (Easter Monday)
May 1 (Labor Day)
June 15 (Freedom Day)
July 7 (Republic Day)
October 12 (Mothers' Day)
December 25 (Christmas Day), and
December 28 (Boxing Day).

Business Infrastructure

Ground Transportation

109. Paved two-lane highways connect Malawi's major cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, and Zomba. Highways also connect the lakeshore communities of Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay, Salima, and Mangochi with Lilongwe and Mzuzu. Paved roads extend from Blantyre to the borders of Mozambique, from Lilongwe to the Zambian border, and from Karonga to the Tanzanian border. Roads are often poorly maintained and are subject to washouts during the rainy season. Many dirt roads are not useable during the rainy season (roughly November to April).

110. Rental cars are available for hire in Blantyre and Lilongwe. Driving at night outside urban areas is unsafe. Malawi has an extensive network of buses, but only the best class bus service connecting Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu is normally considered acceptable for business travel.

Air Transportation

111. Airports on the outskirts of Lilongwe and Blantyre handle international air traffic. British Airways, Kenya Air, South African Airways, Air Zimbabwe, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Malawi service Lilongwe. British Airways offers service between Lilongwe and London. Air Malawi services several regional destinations and domestic routes. The Government of Malawi has identified Air Malawi (a state-owned enterprise) as a candidate for privatization.

112. All non-Malawi passport holders departing on international flights must pay a USD 20 airport departure tax (payable in USD only). The departure fee is MK 75 (approx. USD 2) for domestic flights.

Rail Transportation

113. Malawi Railways operates limited passenger service in the southern part of the country. Freight services are available to the Nacala port in northern Mozambique and on the Northern Corridor route, Malawi's alternative transport route to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam. This latter route utilizes a combination of rail, ship, and road networks. The planned privatization of the management of the Nacala route (see paragraph 15) may also offer opportunities for improved rail freight service to the port of Nacala in Mozambique.

Boat Transportation

114. Malawi Lake Services (MLS), formerly part of Malawi Railways, provides limited passenger and cargo service on Lake Malawi.

Languages

115. English, the official language of Malawi, generally suffices for business communication, although few rural Malawians speak it. The most common vernacular languages include Chichewa (spoken throughout the country), Chitumbuka (spoken primarily in the North), and Chiyao (spoken primarily in the South).

Communications Facilities

116. Malawi's telecommunications infrastructure is overburdened. Telephone service throughout Malawi is poor and international calls are very expensive. The planned introduction of private sector participation in the Malawi Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (MPTC - see paragraph 39 ) offers prospects for improved service. Malawi has two GSM cellular telephone networks, which service the cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre. Most corporate offices and tourist class hotels have telephones and faxes. Malawi has one Internet gateway provider, but additional providers are expected shortly (see paragraph 12). The international country code for Malawi is 265; there are no city codes.

Housing

117. Short-term visitors to Malawi would most likely stay in tourist-class hotels, which are located in major urban areas and lakeside resorts. Accommodations in rural areas are generally not recommended. Expatriate residents in Malawi generally live in modern housing in the major urban centers. Power and water are generally available in major cities, but supply interruptions are common. Mzuzu and Zomba experience more frequent water supply problems. The housing markets in Lilongwe and Blantyre are relatively tight. Local real estate agents are available to help locate housing.

Health

118. Malawi's national health facilities are far below Western standards. Malaria and other tropical diseases are prevalent throughout the country. Much of Lake Malawi is infested with schistosomiasis (bilharzia). Malaria prophylaxis is recommended while in Malawi, as is a comprehensive immunization regime before entering the country. The Embassy recommends drinking only boiled, bottled, or distilled water. Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables should be avoided.

Food

119. A variety of food is normally available in Malawi's urban areas. A few stores carry limited selections of imported goods. There are a handful of restaurants in both Lilongwe and Blantyre which expatriates patronize. Rural areas have very few restaurants, almost none of which attract foreigners.

Temporary Entry of Goods

120. (See paragraph 42.)

Product Pricing Structures

121. (See paragraph 29.)

Guide for Business Representatives

122. U.S. business travelers are encouraged to obtain a copy of the "Key Officers of the Foreign Service Posts: Guide for Business Representatives" available for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402; tel. (202) 512-1800; fax (202) 512-2250. Business travelers to Malawi seeking appointments with U.S. Embassy Lilongwe officials should contact the commercial section in advance. The commercial section can be reached by telephone at (265) 783-166/342/367/848 or by fax at (265) 780-471.