The United Kingdom (UK) has reaffirmed its commitment to a modern and equal partnership with Malawi after the two nations clocked 60 years of formal ties.
Speaking on Thursday evening during a reception to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty King Charles III and the UK-Malawi partnership in Lilongwe, British High Commissioner Fiona Ritchie stressed on the importance of building on the existing relations to address emerging challenges affecting the two countries.
Reflecting on the shared values between the two nations, the envoy highlighted the need to address contemporary challenges in areas such as technology, trade and climate action.
Said Ritchie: “At its core, our partnership is not about dependency or charity. A modern partnership goes beyond aid. I hope to see more collaboration in various areas to deliver our shared objectives. With the right choices, Malawi’s future is bright and I am optimistic about the next 60 years of this partnership.”
Ritchie added that for future collaborations, the UK will prioritise modern solutions to persistent challenges, acknowledging that it is clearly what Malawians want.
With Malawi set to go to polls next year, she called for peaceful and transparent elections, adding the UK is ready to provide support to Malawi’s democratic institutions and society to ensure every citizen exercises the right to vote.
“Next years’ elections are an important opportunity for Malawi to further consolidate its democratic record, I hope that Malawians will remain peaceful and tolerant throughout the process,” said Ritchie.
In her remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo, who was the guest of honour, acknowledged the UK as one of Malawi’s most reliable development partners, highlighting contributions to key sectors including health, education and governance.
She noted the UK’s increased support, particularly in public finance management which has helped Malawi secure the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Credit Facility, tripling its Official Development Assistance to Malawi from 16.3 million euro (about K30 billion) in the 2023/24 financial year to 51 million euro (about K93.9 billion) for the 2024/2025 financial year.
“This significant increase reflects the importance of the UK’s partnership with Malawi and the UK’s commitment to supporting the Malawi 2063,” said Tembo.
Malawi was ruled by Britain from the late 1800s before attaining independence in 1964.
