‘In 2008 COMESA is supposed to graduate from being a free trade area to being a customs union. Whether this will be possible, is doubtful. One of the problems that could impede the formation of the customs union is the fact that some members of COMESA belong to SADC, Malawi being one of them. That being the case, Malawi finds itself at a crossroads of whether to take the COMESA route or the SADC route. This brief looks at the different options available to Malawi and the key players which have helped shape its position on its dual membership. It first looks at Malawi’s trade profiles; then the respective roles of government, and the private sector. It concludes with policy options.’
