The United States of America yesterday pledged up to $792 million (about K1.4 trillion) in health support to Malawi over the next five years as the two countries celebrated 62 years of diplomatic relations and 250 years of America’s independence.
Speaking during the anniversary celebrations in Lilongwe, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Fischer said the commitment builds on more than $6 billion (about K10.5 trillion) in assistance that the United States has provided to Malawi since independence.
| Nation
He said the US has contributed $2.5 billion to Malawi’s health sector since 2013 and intends to deepen cooperation through a Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed in January.
“Under the ground-breaking Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding the United States and Malawi signed in January, we intend to provide up to $792 million more over the next five years,” said Fischer.
The US diplomat said the two countries’ partnership extends beyond health to education, food security and people-to-people exchanges.
Nearly 1 400 Malawians have participated in US exchange programmes since 1953 while more than 3 000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Malawi since 1963.
He also said the new US Embassy under construction in Lilongwe has injected $90 million into the local economy and employed and trained more than 1 800 Malawians. The facility is expected to open in 2027.
While welcoming continued US support, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation George Chaponda said Malawi wants the relationship to increasingly focus on trade, investment and economic diplomacy.
In an interview after the event, Chaponda described the United States as a longstanding partner that has supported Malawi’s development through education, health, governance and capacity building programmes.
However, he expressed concern over recent reductions in aid and visa restrictions affecting Malawians seeking educational opportunities, medical treatment and business engagements in the United States.
“We are shifting from donor dependency,” said Chaponda, adding that Malawi is now placing greater emphasis on economic diplomacy and commercial partnerships.
The minister said Malawi will continue engaging Washington on trade opportunities under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which provides preferential access for eligible African exports to the US market.
“The Agoa programme is very good, very useful,” he said.
Chaponda also called for increased American investment in sectors such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture, including fertiliser production and mineral development.
“We want the Americans to be involved in critical mining. As you know, Malawi is not a poor country. But the people are poor,” he said.
The celebrations highlighted both the scale of US support to Malawi over the past six decades and the growing push by Malawi to broaden the relationship beyond aid towards trade, investment and job creation.
America celebrates its independence on July 4.
