Reforms to be extended to embassies, says Chakwera: Malawi to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, Lagos
President Lazarus Chakwera has said his government’s public castor reforms program being championed by Vice-President Saulos Chilima will be extended to the country’s foreign missions, accounding that Malawi will establish a diplomatic mission with Israel in Jerusalem.
In his maiden State of the Nation address (Sona) at Parliament in Lilongwe, Chakwera—who was elected in a court-sanctioned June 23 presidential election— said his administration’s focus on the world stage will be reforming the Foreign Affairs Ministry Headquarters and its Missions abroad.
Chakwera said he wants Malawi embassies to be “able to deliver on the ambitious objectives of promoting Malawi’s national interests globally,”
The President announced: “The reforms will also include a review of our diplomatic presence, including our resolve to have new diplomatic missions in Lagos, Nigeria and Jerusalem, Israel. I will be sharing more details about this in the near future.”
Malawi does not currently have an embassy in Israel while Israel’s ambassador to Malawi operates from Nairobi, Kenya where he is also the ambassador.
Meanwhile, Malawian church leader Zacc Kawalala has welcomed the move to have new diplomatic mission in Isarel.
“New Diplomatic Mission in Jerusalem, Israel!!! (Psalm 122:6) Dancing all the way. #Praying4Malawi,” he wrote in a post on social media.
Meanwhile, Chakwera said Malawi will continue pursuing vibrant engagement with its immediate neighbors, and in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) at the global level.
“At the regional level, our focus is to integrate within the framework of SADC in the fields of trade and industry and in the maintenance of peace and security,” he said.
Chakwera said his election as SADC incoming chairperson during the recently held meeting of SADC Heads of State and Government aligns with Malawi priorities in international relations.
“We also intend to fully integrate ourselves within the African Union Agenda 2063, including such related programmes as the African Continental Free Trade Area, while also helping stabilize the region by participating in UN Peace Keeping Missions like the one our brave soldiers are part of in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.
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YaYelusalemuyo ndekungofuna kumusangalasa Trump. So we want to make the US happy, otherwise there is no any logical reason for a poor country like Malawi to do that.
For those who are young to remember, Israel closed its embassy in Malawi during one night when it became clear that Bakili Muluzi had won the 1994 elections against Dr Banda. Muluzi being a Moslem, Israel could not trust him to have their embassy here so they unceremoniously closed their embassy in Lilongwe during the night without informing the host country. So yes, Israel used to help us during Dr Bandas reign with the training of our MYP boys and girls in agriculture however, if Chakwera wants to reopen the diplomatic relationship with Israel then I would suggest that for… Read more »
BOMA ILO 💪🏾🔥
Mr President, some of the issues you mentioned in your SONA are obvious ones. You can not reform government departments and leave out embassies which are extensions of your administration. Whatever reforms are put into place in Malawi should inevitable include those foreign offices. Are you aware that there are some embassies that are failing to function effectively due to lack of resources and that some were even shut down or relocated because of the same reasons? It therefore surprises me when you say you want to open more embassies when the existing ones are struggling, up to the point… Read more »
Jerusalem bible college
When we previously had Ambassadorial relationship with Israel, it was more of Malawi benefitting on security for Malawi despot Kamuzu. All his MYP bodyguards were trained in Israel. Many Israeli instructors were available at MYP bases conducting in-house security training. We also had them in some of our secondary schools instructing us. Immediately after Muluzi came, Israel discontinued it’s relationship with Malawi since their reason of stay : MYP and Kamuzu were no longer in their positions. Since Chakwera is more passionate to bring back MYP, you can see the reason for his establishing the relationship with Israel. We better… Read more »
An embassy in Israel would be a waste of resources when very little trade and Malawians reside in Israel it will in no way get you closer to God. The is Pastor Chakwera talking not the President of the Republic
The only to Embassies in Jerusalem. USA and Gutamala. It very controversial. Why not Tel-Aviv where everyone is based like South Africa, all Europeans etc. we should revisit and move according to what the established states are doing. Malawi has relied heavily on arable funds
Embassy in Jerusalem?