Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha has appealed to development partners for support as government prepares an economic recovery-focused 2026/27 National Budget.
Speaking on Friday in Lilongwe during a pre-budget consultation meeting with donors, he said that while the government is implementing structural reforms, additional external support is needed in key sectors such as food security, education and health to cushion citizens from the rising cost of living driven by fuel and electricity price adjustments effected on January 20.
Mwanamvekha said: “The 2026-27 National Budget will be anchored on the Malawi 2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan and the National Economic Recovery Plan, with continued prioritisation of economic stabilisation and investment in key productive sectors of agriculture, tourism and mining.”
In her remarks, German Ambassador to Malawi Ute König said development partners remain committed to supporting Malawi, citing government’s recent fiscal discipline measures and the decision to align fuel prices with market levels.
She said: “The donor community has been grateful for having this in-depth discussion in the course of pre-budget consultations.
“We have been talking about bilateral commitments we have all made. We are also applauding the government for the steps it has already taken in his first months of his tenure in office.”
The consultations with donors followed a series of pre-budget consultations in Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre where the minister solicited input for the forthcoming budget that rolls out on April 1.
Meanwhile, economists and groups have urged authorities to ensure that the 2026/27 Budget is realistic, will curb spending and focus on key social programmes.
Treasury is projecting a 3.8 percent economic growth this year and 4.9 percent in 2027
Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) president Bertha Bangara-Chikadza said the outlook underlines the need for discipline rather than populism.
She cautioned that repeated recapitalisation of loss-making State-owned enterprises without performance reform merely shifts pressure onto public debt.
“Recapitalising SOEs that continue to make losses is like capitalising losses,” she said, adding that reforms must focus on governance, pricing and efficiency.
