- Source: Bingu International Conference Centre
Bingu International Conference Centre (also Bingu Wa Mtharika International Conference Centre) is the international conference centre in Lilongwe, Malawi. It is used for international government meetings, activity and events. Since its opening in the late 2015, it has hosted several international conferences, celebrity weddings, political summits, expositions, international and music concerts. In June 2023, 400 scientists, policymakers, famers and practitioners from 35 countries met at the conference for the ANHA's eighth Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy Week where experts share innovative ideas to inform policies designed to address world development challenges.
History
= Etymology
=The convention centre was named after former Malawian President, the late Bingu wa Mutharika, who conceived the idea of enabling Malawi to host high-profile international conferences including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the COMESA.
= Construction
=According to the director of tourism in Malawi, Isaac Katopola, the Malawi Government contributed over $55 million in 2011 as the development budget for the construction of the conference. The conference has rooms that can accommodate over 500 people with fully functioning equipments. The walls and corridors are also adorned with African art work. The government also borrowed over $95 million (K30 billion) from the People's Republic of China for building the conference.The money was also used to build Presidential Hotel and the Presidential Villas under a loan agreement which is payable in 30 years.
Structures
The conference has a square for event space with a capacity of 5000pax.It has three halls with a capacity of 1500pax combined. It has a sandpiper boardroom for intimate space that holds up to 25pax, including 4 large cinema-style meeting rooms with each having a capacity of 60pax. It also has 4 small cinema-style meeting rooms with a capacity of 50pax. Notable people who visited the conference include the president of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, President of World Bank, Makhtar Diop, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, and former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete. Riaad Moosa also performed at the conference on Saturday of March 30 at the conference's Auditorium.
Location
The conference is located in the middle of the capital, Lilongwe. It is part of a complex called Umodzi Park and is close to Kamuzu International Airport and other cultural significant historical sites. Umodzi Park was designed to accommodate a various activities including business meetings, exhibitions, conferences, banquets, and other special events. It is also close Lilongwe Wildlife Centre which attracts tourists from and outside the country.