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The Department of Energy through MAREP (Malawi Rural Electrification Programme) is implementing Village Electrification Projects by using Sola-Wind (Hybrid) Systems. The main thrust of this project is to experiment on the suitability of stand-alone renewable energy technologies for rural electrification in order to increase access to modern energy services by the rural communities. This is expected to transform the communities who are far from the national grid. The Ministry through the Department of Energy Affairs has installed various renewable energy technologies such as solar/wind hybrid system for electricity generation and water pumping. Biogas technology for cooking and construction has been completed. The renewable energy technologies have been installed at the Department of Energy Affairs offices behind Natural Resources College. The objective is to demonstrate how best and efficient the renewable energy technologies can be utilized. The centre was funded by the UNDP

In an effort to increase the reliability and quality of electricity supply in the major load centres in Malawi, the Government, with support from World Bank, started implementing the Energy Sector Support Project. The project intends to achieve this objective by strengthening the existing electricity network, performing generation and transmission feasibility studies for hydropower improvements, improving demand side management and energy efficiency measures, and building capacity of the energy sub-sector through technical assistance.

(...) While a general import ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remains in place, authorizations for experimental purposes have been granted on two occasions.

(...) The fisheries sector is important as a source of employment, food, and biodiversity. Deforestation continues at very high rates.

The Malawi Vision 2020, launched in 1998, is a policy framework that sets out a long-term development plan detailing economic and social aspirations for 2020. In particular, it sets the goal of Malawi becoming a self-reliant and technologically driven middle-income country by 2020. The main economic objective is sustainable growth and development, with an emphasis on manufacturing (in particular the science and technology sector) as the key driver of the economy. The primary economic strategy employed to reach these objectives is the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS).

There are only a few restrictions on foreign investment. Small-scale prospecting and mining operations are reserved for Malawians and foreigners who have resided in Malawi for a minimum of four years. Restrictions also apply to industries whose operations pose health, environmental, and security concerns (including manufacture of firearms, ammunition, chemical and biological weapons, explosives, or involving hazardous waste and radioactive materials). The minimum investment is US$50,000. Foreign firms are allowed to repatriate profits, dividends or any other funds.

Malawi's legislation provides for a variety of duty and tax concessions in the form of suspensions, rebates, remissions and refunds. Tariff exemptions for a range of imports, including raw materials, machinery, and equipment, are stipulated in the Customs and Excise Act, the Investment and Export Promotion Act (section 2.4), the Export Incentives Act, and the Export Processing Zones Act (section 3.2.4). In addition, the Public Finance Management Act empowers the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development to grant concessions, including tariff rebates, on goods deemed to be of public interest in exceptional circumstances, such as natural disasters.

Box 3.1 Industries eligible for tariff rebates
• Biodiesel
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(...) By and large, automatic and non automatic licencing procedures are maintained for security, public health and environmental reasons, and to promote infant industries. (...)

Table 3.6 Goods subject to import licensing
Products Procedure Rationale
Radioactive substances Non-automatic Environmental, security, and public health promotion
Mist nets for the capture of wild birds Non-automatic Environmental promotion
Wild animals, wild animal trophies and wild animal products (including birds and reptiles) and any eggs produced by such birds or reptiles Non-automatic Environmental promotion
Live fish, including the eggs and spawn thereof Non-automatic Environmental promotion
(...)