Minister of Information and Digitalisation Moses Kunkuyu has described the establishment of the Muuni Fund as an indication of government’s commitment to transforming Malawi into a digital economy.

He made the remarks today at the Muuni Innovation Expo at Bingu Convention Centre in Lilongwe where the Muuni Fund's top 20 regional finalist innovators were also showcasing their innovations in the five critical areas of Agriculture, Banking and Financial Services, Health and Environment, and ICT and Digital Services.

Kunkuyu said the innovations displayed at the expo show that Malawi has brilliant minds who are offering solutions to the challenges in the country.

“Looking at the innovations that have been showcased today, it is clear that we have brilliant minds in Malawi and President Chakwera’s dream of turning this economy into an inclusive digital economy is really bearing fruits,” he said.

He futher said that government will support the innovations to be implemented by the MDAs. He also urged the private sector to support the innovators.

Secretary for Information and Digitalisation, Baldwin Chiyamwaka stated that the Muuni Fund is critical to the Ministry’s implementation of the Digital Economy Strategy and the National Digital Policy.

“We have the Digital Economy Strategy and National Digital Policy, in order for to implement them, you need programs and activities or projects. Without these, the policy becomes stale and empty. These are the wheels for the policy implementation.” He said.

He also urged private sector investors to support innovations, stating that the funding is crucial for their development and large-scale application.

Director General for the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Daudi Suleman said the Fund catalyses Malawi’s participation in the digitally driven global village undergoing the fourth industrial revolution characterised by growing digital economies.

He described the implementation of the fund as a journey towards creating a knowledge-based digital economy, which will accelerate innovative ideas to tangible results and pull in investors to support the innovators.

The Muuni Fund is an ICT Research and Innovation Fund under MACRA. It was launched on the 14th of July last year by the Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu.

President Lazarus Chakwera has called on members of the Southern Confederation of Agriculture Union (SACAU) to step up and protect farmers in the region to ensure that they are resilient from shocks associated with climate change.

The president made the call, during the opening of a two-day Annual general conference of SACAU in Lilongwe.

President Chakwera, reiterated the importance of Agriculture in the country's economy, saying it is not only a source of livelihood for majority of Malawians but also the leading engine for forex

"We are hosting this conference as an expression of our desire to bring all Agriculture interests and partnerships in the world to bear on our pursuit of prosperity of our farmers,” said Chakwera

“Farmers are the heart of this sector, therefore their resilience and productivity are crucial for our nations" prosperity, "the President added.

President Chakwera said Malawi is committed to work with SACAU in advancing the common goal of building a more resilient agriculture sector that benefits all members.

Delivering his keynote speech, Chief Executive Officer for SACAU Ishmael Sunga, highlighted the need for members to revitalise the agricultural sector by among other things, harnessing the digital technology, robust investment in the agriculture sector.

According to Sunga, member states can achieve high agricultural prosperity and productivity if they collectively agree to invest in the youth agri-entrepreneurship.

The Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) is a regional farmer's organisation representing the common interests of organised agriculture in the Southern African Development Community countries.

It currently has 19 member organisations, from 12 countries in Southern Africa.

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President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has announced the death of the Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima. 

In his address to the nation, Chakwera said the wreckage of the plane that carried the Vice President, and nine others has been found with no survivors.

President Chakwera conveyed his condolences to the families of those who have died in the crash, and the entire nation.

"I can only imagine how much pain and anguish you all must be having at this point in time," the President said.

Chakwera described Chilima as a distinctive man of honour, a great father and husband, as well as a great patriot who has served the nation selflessly.

“I consider it one of my greatest honour to be deputised by him in the last four years," he said.

Other individuals in the plane were Lucas Kapheni, Chisomo Chimaneni, Shanil Dzimbiri, Dan Kanyemba, Abdul Lapukeni, Colonel Sambalopa, Major Selemani and Major Aidin, whom the president described as great men and women of the nation and their death is a great loss to the people of Malawi.

Chakwera extended his heartfelt appreciation to the Malawi Defence Force and all parties involved in the search and rescue mission.

He also extended his gratitude to all former Heads of State for the support they have pledged during these trying times.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo, has stated that the opening of the new Malawi Embassy and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Temporary Employment of Malawian Workers in the agriculture sector in Israel reaffirms government's commitment to creating long-standing bilateral relations between the two nations. 

Tembo, who led the Malawi delegation, made these remarks during the official inauguration of the Malawi Embassy in Tel Aviv and the signing of the MoU for temporary workers working in farms in Israel.

She indicated that the inauguration of the Embassy reflects the long-standing cordial and brotherly relations that continue to exist between Malawi and Israel.

Tembo emphasised that the MoU marks a significant milestone in fostering increased collaboration in the field of labour.

"The MoU catalyzes advancing our partnership to new heights. As a guiding frame, the MoU will play a fundamental role in the process of recruitment, placement, monitoring, and repatriation of temporary migrant workers working in Israel," Tembo said.

She also highlighted that under the Government-to-Government recruitment, Malawi is committed to providing Israel with 3000 hardworking workers initially for the agriculture sector.

Tembo conveyed her deepest condolences to the government of the State of Israel for the tragic loss of life, maiming, and abduction suffered by Israeli citizens due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

"Malawi being a peaceful country, rejects any forms of violence, particularly acts of terror as coercive means to settling disputes, and we also believe in a nation's right to self-defence and protection of its people," she said.

The Minister expressed gratitude for Israel's ongoing support to Malawi in areas of education and agriculture, particularly the 11-month Agricultural Scholarship provided to students from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR).

During the occasion, Tembo was joined by Israel Katz, the Israel Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of the Security Cabinet, Minister of Interior of the State of Israel, Moshe Arbel, Minister of Labour Agnes's Nyalonje, Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu Kalongashawa, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi to the State of Israel, David Bisnowsty, Consul of the Republic of Malawi in the State of Israel, Nir Guess, and other senior officials.

On 4th April, 2024, The Government of Malawi joined the Digital Public Goods Alliance as a new member. The DPGA is a multi-stakeholder initiative with a mission to accelerate the attainment of sustainable development goals in low- and middle-income countries by facilitating the discovery, development, use of, and investment in digital public goods (DPGs).

The government of Malawi is thrilled to be participating in this mission. As part of the Government’s membership, the following activities will be undertaken 1. Adoption of the DPG Aid Management Platform (AMP) to manage Malawi’s development aid effectiveness, 2. Leverage DPGs to Improve data use in Malawi by upgrading the national health information software and training key staff on its use, 3. Advocating for open-source software in the health and social sector and 4. Advocating for DPGs for digital public infrastructure (DPI) , and how they can play a critical role in helping to achieve the DPGA’s mission and advance the DPG ecosystem overall. This includes participating in the 50-in-5 campaign which brings countries together to share learnings and best practices regarding the implementation of safe, inclusive, and interoperable  DPI.

Government of Malawi’s work aligns with that of the DPGA in the following ways, which will be included as part of the DPGA’s Annual Roadmap:

• Malawi is committed to enhancing its digital infrastructure, including expanding access to broadband and improving digital literacy. This aligns with the DPGA's goal of promoting the development and use of digital public goods to advance sustainable development.
• Malawi is working on digital solutions to improve service delivery and access. This aligns with the DPGA's efforts to promote digital public goods in service delivery.
• Malawi is actively collaborating with international organizations and partners to advance its digital agenda. This mirrors the DPGA's approach of fostering collaboration and partnerships to promote digital public goods.

For Malawi, membership to the Digital Public Goods Alliance means gaining access to knowledge on  open-source software, datasets,  AI systems, content and standards and how to leverage them best. These resources can be harnessed by governments, organizations, and individuals to tackle a range of challenges, from health and education to economic development. By joining the DPGA, Malawi can tap into a global network of digital resources and expertise. This could prove invaluable in addressing the country's development challenges and making meaningful contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For any inquiries on the Government of Malawi please reach out to Paul Katema, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Director of E-government.

For more information on the Digital Public Goods Alliance please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Advisor, Communications and Programs.

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President Lazarus Chakwera commended the United States government for successfully constructing 66 new secondary schools across the nation through the Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED) project.

Chakwera made these remarks during the hand over ceremony at Mkanda Community Day Secondary School ground in Salima district.

“What the US Government has done here is to give our children a good start, and it is now our responsibility to make sure they have a strong race and good finish. Chakwera said.”

Deputy Minister of Education Nancy Chaola Mdooko, reaffirmed her ministry’s commitment towards improving education standards in the country.

She also commended the US government for initiating the project which will increase access to education among adolescent girls.

In her remarks, Mrs. Amy W. Diaz, Charg’e d’Affaires,  Embassy of United States of America to Malawi, said the SEED project is a $90 million partnership between Malawi Government and the US Government to improve education and health outcomes for Malawian youth, targeting adolescent girls and young women in the country.

“Each school consists of four classrooms, one science classroom, two teachers’ houses, latrine blocks, and a borehole that will improve access to portable water among the learners,” she emphasized.