If a public holiday falls on a Saturday, the previous day becomes a public holiday; if it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday. Public holidays can sometimes be announced at short notice.
Duty free shopping
Overview
The following items can be brought into Malawi duty-free (persons aged 16 and over): 200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products or a selection of tobacco products up to 250g; 1 liter of wine or beer; 1 liter spirits; 250 ml of eau de toilette or 50 g of perfume; Gifts and items for personal use during travel up to the equivalent of K300,000. Further information is available from Malawi Customs. More information is available from Countryaah.com.
Contact addresses
Consulate of the Republic of Malawi
The consulate is under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi in Auderghem (Belgium).
Dolderstrasse 102
Zurich
Switzerland
+41 (0)43 817 05 82. Embassy of the Republic of Malawi
Mon-Thu 09.00-12.30 and 13.00-16.00, Fri 09.00-14.00. Visa applications: Mon 10am-12pm; Visa collection: Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Visa inquiries: Mon-Thurs 09.00-12.00.
Business
Business etiquette
Suit and tie are appropriate for business visits. Appointments and business cards are common. Offices open early. The best times for business trips are May to July and September to November. Business Hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-5pm.
Business contacts
Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (MCCCI) 61 Masauko Chipembere Highway, Chichiri Trade Fair Ground, PO Box 258, Blantyre, Malawi Tel. +265 (0)187 19 88. Website: www.mccci.org
Communication
Phone
International direct dialing.
Mobile phone
GSM 900. According to Abbreviationfinder.org, network operators are CelTel Limited (Internet: www.mw.celtel.com/en/index.html or www.msi-cellular.com) and Callpoint 900. The reception/transmission range covers the largest cities and their surrounding areas. Roaming agreements exist with Germany, Austria and Switzerland, among others.
Internet
Internet provider is MalawiNet (Internet: www.malawi.net). There are internet cafes in the larger cities. Internet access is possible in some hotels in the country.
Post office
Air mail to Europe takes about 7-10 days to arrive. Post offices are generally open Mon-Fri 07.30-12.00 and 13.00-17.00. Some post offices in the larger towns open on Sundays from 9am to 10am, but only for the sale of stamps and the acceptance of telegrams. 3 courier services support the national postal system.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly for the current frequencies (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
