Mr President, reform Malawi Embassies first: Don’t act haphazard in rushing to Jerusalem
There is an interesting debate going on with regards to merits and demerits of Malawi opening diplomatic relations with Israel and planting an embassy in Jerusalem. 
As Nyasa Times, we feel that it is a misplaced debate—not do different from parents who can’t clothe and feed their one child, but busy debating the possibilities of having more children.
To go or not to go to Israel is not the pressing question Malawi needs to be debating right now in the context of understanding issues of our diplomatic relations.
The debate we need, today, is on reforming our international relations in a way that reflects the needs and desires of Malawian people.
Over the years, Malawi has been establishing a number of diplomatic relations with several countries. We have stationed Offices of Embassies and High Commissioners in several countries across the world.
There has been debate, of course, with regards to how beneficial has these relations been to Malawi vis-à-vis the cost of keeping them afloat.
It’s undeniable that Malawi, being a hinterland, has benefited a lot because of its cordial relations with other countries.
It is also imperative; of course, to underscore that some relations Malawi has with other countries haven’t been beneficial apart from just draining the coffers of this country through running them.
There is no better time, as reforms are gaining momentum, than today to start doing an opportunity cost of the relations.
We must underscore that politicians have kept a bloated diplomatic relation system as one way of paying off political cronies through giving them jobs at the embassies.
This must stop.
This is why; we don’t need the debate of going or not going to Israel. We need a debate of reviewing our diplomatic relations system with a goal of making it lean, efficient and responsive to the needs of Malawians.
Clear the rubble that is in the current embassies. Bring in career diplomats not the current crop of officials whose appointment mostly were based on nepotism and political patronage.
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The editor was supposed to see through the issue by removing out politics of yesterday,this is New Malawi under new leadership. Let’s stop crying like babies with their own urine! Israel has been friends to Malawi for long time! Ask Dausi and Mtaba, they will tell you how this relationship was during the Kamuzu and what we benefited, are you aware that Israel is very good IT and Farming? Are you aware that we were having enough food in Prison and Hospital just because of the lessons we got from Israel? It will benefit Malawians not Nyasatimes! Especially farming technology!… Read more »
Nyasa Times Editor, above, seems to suggest an either or approach to dealing the diplomatic relations subject as it refers to Israel and other States. The article touches on functions, numbers, relevance of missions in countries, modalities of appointments to foreign missions , and not least, need for logical and purposeful analysis of the various attributes to enhance functionality of foreign embassies. Just to observe that the matter of reviewing existing missions and conceiving new ones are not to be treated as being mutually exclusive. They can and should complement each other. I am ware that there is some kind… Read more »
This article is conflating the notion of having diplomatic relationship with a country, and that of having an embassy in that country. These are two separate issues. Malawi established diplomatic ties with Israel a long time ago. The issues here are 1) whether we should have an embassy in Israel now, and 2) whether that embassy should be in Jerusalem as opposed to Tel Aviv. Many decades ago, Japan advised Malawi not to have an embassy in Tokyo, on grounds that it would be too expensive for Malawi to run. Kamuzu went ahead anyway, and placed his in-law there as… Read more »
Sometimes before we start criticising government we need to do our home work well. If there is a country that has the least foreign Missions, it is Malawi. Malawi has only 19 Missions in the world. Most of the Missions were closed during Bingus reign. We have 8 Missions only in Africa, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt, one in South America in Brazil, two in USA, Washington and New York, three in Europe, in Brussels, London and Berlin and two in Asia, China and Japan. Can you say Malawi has many foreign Missions when countries… Read more »
What about India?
You can say that louder. Most of these missions if not all of them lack experts for Malawi to benefit it is a pitty to have these embassies being staffed by 4/5 people.And as a country are we seriously expecting real bilateral gains from such minimal input of Human Resources. With Malawi experience I would rather get a job at Macra,Mera,Nocma and all those jewel institutions thru political appeasement than diplomatic job. So I second DESTROYER OF LIARS to reform these missions. We can’t exclude political appointees before we understand why they are there in the first place. And stop… Read more »
Having a representation in a country doesn’t necessarily entail having an office in every state. Some of these can be represented by one embassy covering 2 to 3 countries. Those countries having dozens of embassies worldwide can afford doing so financially. You can only open an embassy if you have interests in those countries. The fact that other African countries have numerous embassies shouldn’t be a yardstick. Malawi as a sovereign and independent country need to adhere to her own needs, priorities and policies. Appointing a High Commissioner or an Ambassador has nothing to do with politics or affiliations. Chancellor… Read more »
I am praying that Malawi will open embassy mission in Jerusalem and that they will choose me to go and enjoy with my family.(that will nice)
I truly support our new government must clear the rubble espercially south africa the diplomats are so arrogant they are just eating government tax money please clear out all the dpp cardet diplomats in south africa Malawians are suffering and the diplomats in don’t care about Malawian people. please my new government start clearing the diplomats who are in south africa. Thank you.
Chakwera is President Talk Talk not Listen Listen. He will go ahead with opening an Embassy there because he is an evangelist preacher. Our Embassies abroad are in a state of despair and need of being depoliticised. Instead President Talk Talk is focused on opening embassies we cannot afford to run.
It’s a pity some people believe Jerusalem is special. Is just another piece of soil water air and sun just like any other place. Emancipate yourself from mental slavery
If indeed people learn from others then Malawi stands to learn more from Israel than most countries we have relations with. That includes who obviously needs emancipation more than those you are calling upon to free themselves
I salute His Excellency the State President Dr. McCarthy Chawera for weighing on the idea of establishing the Malawian Embassy in Jerusalem. Since Malawi turned its back on Israel,a development that was orchestrated by President Bakili Muluzi, presumably on religious grounds, Malawi has missed to benefit from the blessings of Abraham. Remember, in the Bible, God said that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be accursed. I think you can agree with me that sincewe kicked the Jews out of the country, things have gone from bad to worse. You can just see… Read more »