Dr. Martin Kansichi was appointed in February 2005, after serving as the President of the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. As a private sector man, the Minister's Leadership in the Ministry of Trade and Private Sector Development has changed the professional and service delivery of the programmes that Government has had in its policy. Among the many achievements include:

1. The World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference

Malawi, which was a leader in, services negotiations on behalf of the G90 and later jointly with G20 and G33, raised its profile at the just ended Ministerial Conference of the WTO. The Honourable Minister was the official spokesperson and this is the first time that Malawi has chaired such an important and critical area of the negations. The Chairman of the conference commended the leadership role Malawi provided. The European Union and the United States too were impressed and conceded most of the proposals that were championed by Malawi.

2. Trade agreements with neighbouring trading partners

Dr. Kansichi has managed to deliver one of his key pledges on assuming office, which was on regional integration, and elimination of trade imbalance between Malawi and its neighbours.
- A Trade agreement, which grants some Malawi products duty free access to the Mozambican market, will be signed on December 28, 2005. The Trade agreement discussions kept on stalling for over four years which has been completed within a period of ten months the Minister has been in the office.
- Malawi and Lesotho are to enter into a joint programme on Cooperatives, which will assist in capacity building of local sector.
- A draft Trade agreement with Namibia has been completed and now waiting for necessary legal input which will be formally come into effect as early as first quarter 2006.
- Trade Agreement with Malawi's largest trading partner South Africa is also under negotiations and is expected to be completed by end 2006.

3. Public-Private Sector partnership

The two sectors that operated as rivals have in the last ten months became critical partners on issues affecting the private sector. The Minister took a personal leadership role to establish the Department of Private Sector Development in the Ministry, which has a full time director, and currently with the assistance from the World Bank will be developing the first-ever national private sector development strategy.

Through the National Action Group which is Co-Chaired by the Honourable Minister and the Chief Executive of Press Corporation Professor Mathews Chikaonda, issues of primary concern between the two sectors which include the state of the economy, production and legal framework related to the sectors are discussed.

The Private Sector has indicated that for the first time, it is able to get a full support and attention of the Ministry at any given point than ever before.

The private sector has also been invited to take a leading role on programmes that the Ministry is facilitating or undertaking.

4. The National Export Strategy

In moving with His Excellency the State President's vision of moving Malawi
consuming and importing to a producing and exporting nation, the Ministry of
the Minister of Trade launched the National Export Strategy consultations, which are being done in partnership with the MCCCI. The strategy is expected to be launched in early 2006.

5. Government to Government linkages in support to the private sector

The Minister has spearheaded a linkage between Government Departments to support growth by the private sector. The Private Sector now uses the Ministry as a conduit for transactions for businesses in relation to the Ministry, of Security and work permits, Agriculture, Rebates and Tax waivers, Lands and valuation and many more.

The Ministry has therefore become a central focus on issues that are related to private sector requiring Government attention.

6. Investments

The Ministry has for the last few months worked with International and Local investments groups, which can now have easy access to many services. The World Bank has ranked Malawi number 25 from almost 40 two years ago, in Africa in doing business, which has been achieved with reforms proposed under the Leadership of Dr. Kansichi.

Among the major in investments include:

- The Fertiliser Factory in Lilongwe which is to be fully operational by Mid 2006
- The Micro Provident bank, which is already registered and just awaiting for a banking code to start small loans schemes that are guaranteed by employers.
- Re-vitalising of the Liwonde Tannery
- More Malawians have been issued with licences to trade in Cement, Exports and Local Manufacturing.

In improving the services of the Malawi Investment Promotion Agency- MIPA and the Malawi Export Promotion Council-MEPC, The Ministry has identified resources to complete a full merger between the institutions and create a one-stop Investment shop.

7. Banking Sector

The Minister has personally ventured into discussions with all leading banks for them to re-think on their strategies to empower the small and medium sectors. Banks such as the National Bank and Liota Investment Bank are already moving towards delivering programmes to support the growth of the small and medium sectors.

The Ministry has also facilitated the return of the European Investment Bank-EIB to finance local private sector projects. More International Financing institutions have indicated their growing interest to support the local sector.

8. The Tobacco Initiative

As part of finding a common position on issues affecting the tobacco sector, the Minister called for and chaired the first ever meeting of five SADC countries to coordinate issues of tobacco including prices and work for a common strategy to bring the best to the ordinary farmers. Malawi is the current coordinator since the last SADC meeting held in Botswana. The Other four members are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia.

9. The Agoa Initiative

The Ministry is reforming the AGOA initiative to expand the export products under the programme to ensure maximum benefits from the programme.

10. EU Sugar negotiations

Malawi has taken a leading role, including involvement of the local sugar producers Illovo Malawi in negotiations with the European Union on the plans to remove the preferential price for the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of nations. Dr. Kansichi has been the official spokesperson for the groups most since he started attending the negotiations.

11. Anti- Counterfeit products programme

The Ministry is concluding the anti-counterfeit products regulations, which will protect original works and local production.

12. The Competitions Commission