Malawi’s economic recovery cannot rest indefinitely on external borrowing, donor assistance and negotiations with international financial institutions. The country must answer a more basic question: how will it build a productive, competitive and export-oriented economy that generates its own prosperity? Beyond the IMF Public debt, foreign exchange shortages, inflation and currency stability dominate the economic […]
Your Excellency, Having known you personally for decades, I know you as a patriot and a nationalist who cares passionately for Malawi. I was one of those encouraged by your election to the high office of President, having believed in your promise of “A Return to Proven Leadership”. Fairness demands that we acknowledge the difficult […]
The government has dismissed reports that it is negotiating a devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of talks on a new Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme. In a press statement dated 8 October 2026, Information and Communications Technology Minister Dr Shadric Namalomba said the reports were incorrect. “Government […]
An International Monetary Fund team has concluded two weeks of talks in Malawi without reaching a final agreement on a new lending programme, though it praised the government’s progress on economic reforms. The mission, led by Justin Tyson, the IMF’s mission chief for Malawi, held meetings in Lilongwe from 22 September to 6 October to […]
The International Monetary Fund is expected to issue a statement shortly on the outcome of its discussions with the Malawian government, with officials in Lilongwe expressing hope that the assessment will be favourable. An IMF mission held talks with Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha, senior government and Reserve Bank of Malawi officials, a range of stakeholders […]
Malawi has failed to meet several key benchmarks in its engagement with the International Monetary Fund, according to people familiar with the Fund’s latest assessment, a setback that appears to rule out immediate financial support as the country grapples with acute fuel and foreign exchange shortages, Nyasa Times understands. The IMF has completed its review […]
President says forex is hardest challenge, defends fuel and food record, and warns of more tax pain a year into his term Malawi’s president, Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, has said the economic road ahead will be “rough”, acknowledging that foreign exchange shortages remain his most difficult problem and that further taxation will be unpopular but […]
Malawi’s government has ruled out devaluing the national currency, the Kwacha, even as a new World Bank report shows the country still grappling with serious economic headwinds despite some progress on public finances. Finance minister Joseph Mwanamvekha conceded that more needs to be done to deliver positive economic outcomes, but was unequivocal that currency devaluation […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) latest mission statement reads like a diplomatic pat on the back — “constructive discussions”, “credible policies”, “commitment to stability”. But for Malawians living with a collapsing kwacha, empty forex reserves and the highest cost‑of‑living pressure in years, the tone borders on detached. The Fund applauds government efforts to “align domestic […]
When U.S. President Donald Trump slashed billions from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) withdrew its Extended Credit Facility (ECF) support to Malawi, many in the global aid community sounded the alarm. Panic spread across diplomatic circles and NGO corridors. Yet, here in Malawi, we must choose […]
“We take these issues seriously.” Malawi needs to toughen and tighten its noose on its public funds management system gaps in order to forge a sound economic and finance apparatus devoid of abuse, The international Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. The IMF, which is Malawi’s third largest multilateral lender after the World Bank through the […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved debt relief for Malawi to help address the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Malawi is one of the 28 countries in the world to benefit from the third tranche of grants for debt relief under the catastrophic Containment and Relief Trust. According to IMF, this new approval […]
President Lazarus Chakwera has given a strong indictment to foreign financial institutions – such as Bretton Woods institutions International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank – that their programmes have had any significant progress to alleviate poverty, in African countries at least, and in Sub-Saharan Africa more particularly: home to the largest portion on the world’s bottom […]
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved US$101.96 million additional disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility for Malawi to help the Southern African country address the economic impact of the marauding novel Covid-19 pandemic, the Fund said in a statement. The decision to release the funds was made by the IMF board at a meeting in […]
Minister of Finance Fleix Mlusu has disclosed that the Tonse Alliance government has cancelled the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), with immediate effect. Mlusi made the disclosure when he was presenting the 2020/21 national budget in Parliament, Lilongwe on Friday. “Madam Speaker, following discussions between the Tonse Alliance Government and […]
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Jospeh Mwanamvekha has thanked the World Bank for funding to support Malawi’s response to the global Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, describing the institution’s help as crucial to Malawi’s determination to prevent the spread of the virus. Mwamvekha said about $100 million has been injected by the World Bank to Malawi. […]
Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday approved a disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) equivalent to US$91 million to help Malawi meet the urgent balance of payment (BOP) needs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF notes in a statement that Malawi is being severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic […]
State Vice-President Salous Chilima has issued a stern warning against abuse of funds allocated by government and development partners to fight the coronavirus (Covid-19), including the impending package that International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to give Malawi. Speaking at a news conference in Lilongwe, Chilima said government has committed a lot of funds while […]