Malawi Country Facts

Bureau of African Affairs                                                     
August 2007                                                                   
                                                                       
  Background Note: Malawi Country Facts                                                     
                                               
  Farmers use a treadle pump to water                                         
  their crops in the Sanje district,                                          
  Malawi, September 26, 2005. [© AP                                           
  Images]                                                                     
                                                                       
  Flag of Malawi is three equal horizontal bands of black at top, red, and    
  green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band.           
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Republic of Malawi                                                          
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 118,484 sq. km. (45,747 sq. mi.); land the size of Pennsylvania, with a
  lake the size of Vermont.                                                   
  Cities: Capital--Lilongwe. Other cities--Blantyre (the commercial capital), 
  Zomba, Mzuzu.                                                               
  Terrain: Plateaus, highlands, and valleys. Lake Malawi (formerly referred to
  as Lake Nyasa) comprises about 20% of total area.                           
  Climate: Predominately subtropical.                                         
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective--Malawian(s).                               
  Population (2006 est.): 12.5 million.                                       
  Annual growth rate (2006): 3.3%.                                            
  Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,      
  Ngonde, Asian, European.                                                    
  Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
  3%, other 2%.                                                               
  Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), regional dialects, i.e.,
  Chitumbuka, Chiyao, Chilomwe.                                               
  Education: Years compulsory--none. Enrollment (2004)--primary, 82%. Literacy
  (2004 est., age 15 and older)--64%.                                         
  Health: Infant mortality rate (2004)--76 deaths/1,000 live births. Life     
  expectancy (at birth, 2005 est.)--40 yrs.                                   
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Multi-party democracy.                                                
  Independence: July 6, 1964.                                                 
  Constitution: May 18, 1995.                                                 
  Branches: Executive--president (the president is both chief of state and head
  of government), first and second vice presidents, cabinet.                  
  Legislative--unicameral National Assembly (193 members). Although the       
  Malawian constitution provides for a Senate, in practice the legislative    
  branch's upper house does not exist. Judicial--High Court, Supreme Court of 
  Appeal, subordinate Magistrate Courts.                                      
  Administrative subdivisions: 28 districts.                                  
  Political parties: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, ruling party) United  
  Democratic Front (UDF), Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Alliance for Democracy 
  (AFORD), New Republican Party (NRP), National Democratic Alliance (NDA),    
  People's Progressive Movement (PPM), People's Transformation Party (PETRA), 
  and Congress for National Unity (CONU). MCP and UDF are the two main        
  opposition parties in parliament.                                           
  Suffrage: Universal at 18 years of age.                                     
  Central government budget--2005/06 $991.6 million (MK 119 billion).         
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2005 est.): $2.1 billion.                                              
  Annual real GDP growth rate (2004): 4.6%; (2005 est.) 2.1%.                 
  Per capita GNI (2005 est.): Approx. $150.90.                                
  Avg. inflation rate (2005): 15.4%; (2006): 11%.                             
  Natural resources: Limestone, uranium (potential), coal, bauxite, phosphates,
  graphite, granite, black granite, vermilite, aquamarine, tourmaline, rubies,
  sapphires, rare earths.                                                     
  Agriculture (approx. 34.7% of GDP): Products--tobacco, sugar, cotton, tea,  
  corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, coffee, rice, groundnuts. Arable
  land--34%, of which 86% is cultivated.                                      
  Industry (19.4% of GDP): Types--tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products,      
  cement, consumer goods.                                                     
  Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$578 million: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee,      
  peanuts, wood products. Partners--U.S., U.K., South Africa, Germany, Japan. 
  Imports--$1.066 billion: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer
  goods, transportation equipment. Partners--South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan,   
  U.S., U.K., Germany.                                                        
  Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.                                                
                                                                       
  GEOGRAPHY                                                                   
  Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. The Great Rift Valley traverses  
  the country from north to south. In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi, the  
  third-largest lake in Africa, comprising about 20% of Malawi's area. The    
  Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River
  400 kilometers (250 mi.) farther south in Mozambique. East and west of the  
  Rift Valley, the land forms high plateaus, generally between 900 and 1,200  
  meters (3,000-4,000 ft.) above sea level. In the north, the Nyika Uplands   
  rise as high as 2,600 meters (8,500 ft.); south of the lake lie the Shire   
  Highlands, with an elevation of 600-1,600 meters (2,000-5,000 ft.), rising to
  Mts. Zomba and Mulanje, 2,130 and 3,048 meters (7,000 and 10,000 ft.). In the
  extreme south, the elevation is only 60-90 meters (200-300 ft.) above sea   
  level.                                                                      
                                                                       
  Malawi is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most densely populated countries. The 
  population of Lilongwe--Malawi's capital since 1971--exceeds 400,000. All   
  government ministries and the parliament are located in Lilongwe. Blantyre  
  remains Malawi's major commercial center and largest city, having grown from
  an estimated 109,000 inhabitants in 1966 to nearly 500,000 in 1998. Malawi's
  President resides in Lilongwe. The Supreme Court is seated in Blantyre.     
                                                                       
  Malawi's climate is generally subtropical. A rainy season runs from November
  through April. There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country
  from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April along the lake
  and in the Lower Shire Valley. Lilongwe is also hot and humid during these  
  months, albeit far less than in the south. The rest of the country is warm  
  during those months. From June through August, the lake areas and far south 
  are comfortably warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night, with   
  temperatures ranging from 5o-14oC (41o-57oF).                               
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  Malawi derives its name from the Maravi, a Bantu people who came from the   
  southern Congo about 600 years ago. On reaching the area north of Lake      
  Malawi, the Maravi divided. One branch, the ancestors of the present-day    
  Chewas, moved south to the west bank of the lake. The other, the ancestors of
  the Nyanjas, moved down the east bank to the southern part of the country.  
                                                                       
  By AD 1500, the two divisions of the tribe had established a kingdom        
  stretching from north of the present-day city of Nkhotakota to the Zambezi  
  River in the south, and from Lake Malawi in the east, to the Luangwa River in
  Zambia in the west.                                                         
                                                                       
  Migrations and tribal conflicts precluded the formation of a cohesive       
  Malawian society until the turn of the 20th century. In more recent years,  
  ethnic and tribal distinctions have diminished. Regional distinctions and   
  rivalries, however, persist. Despite some clear differences, no significant 
  friction currently exists between tribal groups, and the concept of a       
  Malawian nationality has begun to take hold. Predominately a rural people,  
  Malawians are generally conservative and traditionally nonviolent.          
                                                                       
  The Chewas constitute 90% of the population of the central region; the Nyanja
  tribe predominates in the south and the Tumbuka in the north. In addition,  
  significant numbers of the Tongas live in the north; Ngonis--an offshoot of 
  the Zulus who came from South Africa in the early 1800s--live in the lower  
  northern and lower central regions; and the Yao, who are mostly Muslim, live
  along the southeastern border with Mozambique.                              
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  Hominid remains and stone implements have been identified in Malawi dating  
  back more than 1 million years, and early humans inhabited the vicinity of  
  Lake Malawi 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. Human remains at a site dated about 
  8000 BC show physical characteristics similar to peoples living today in the
  Horn of Africa. At another site, dated 1500 BC, the remains possess features
  resembling Negro and Bushman people.                                        
                                                                       
  Although the Portuguese reached the area in the 16th century, the first     
  significant Western contact was the arrival of David Livingstone along the  
  shore of Lake Malawi in 1859. Subsequently, Scottish Presbyterian churches  
  established missions in Malawi. One of their objectives was to end the slave
  trade to the Persian Gulf that continued to the end of the 19th century. In 
  1878, a number of traders, mostly from Glasgow, formed the African Lakes    
  Company to supply goods and services to the missionaries. Other missionaries,
  traders, hunters, and planters soon followed.                               
                                                                       
  In 1883, a consul of the British Government was accredited to the "Kings and
  Chiefs of Central Africa," and in 1891, the British established the Nyasaland
  Protectorate (Nyasa is the Yao word for "lake"). Although the British       
  remained in control during the first half of the 1900s, this period was     
  marked by a number of unsuccessful Malawian attempts to obtain independence.
  A growing European and U.S.-educated African elite became increasingly vocal
  and politically active--first through associations, and after 1944, through 
  the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC).                                       
                                                                       
  During the 1950s, pressure for independence increased when Nyasaland was    
  joined with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in 1953 to form the Federation of
  Rhodesia and Nyasaland. In July 1958, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda returned to 
  the country after a long absence in the United States (where he had obtained
  his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee in    
  1937), the United Kingdom (where he practiced medicine), and Ghana. He      
  assumed leadership of the NAC, which later became the Malawi Congress Party 
  (MCP). In 1959, Banda was sent to Gwelo Prison for his political activities 
  but was released in 1960 to participate in a constitutional conference in   
  London.                                                                     
                                                                       
  On April 15, 1961, the MCP won an overwhelming victory in elections for a new
  Legislative Council. It also gained an important role in the new Executive  
  Council and ruled Nyasaland in all but name a year later. In a second       
  constitutional conference in London in November 1962, the British Government
  agreed to give Nyasaland self-governing status the following year.          
                                                                       
  Dr. Banda became Prime Minister on February 1, 1963, although the British   
  still controlled Malawi's financial, security, and judicial systems. A new  
  constitution took effect in May 1963, providing for virtually complete      
  internal self-government. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was      
  dissolved on December 31, 1963, and Malawi became a fully independent member
  of the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth) on July 6, 1964. Two
  years later, Malawi adopted a new constitution and became a one-party state 
  with Dr. Banda as its first President.                                      
                                                                       
  In 1970 Dr. Banda was declared President for life of the MCP, and in 1971   
  Banda consolidated his power and was named President for life of Malawi     
  itself. The paramilitary wing of the Malawi Congress Party, the Young       
  Pioneers, helped keep Malawi under authoritarian control until the 1990s.   
  Increasing domestic unrest and pressure from Malawian churches and from the 
  international community led to a referendum in which the Malawian people were
  asked to vote for either a multi-party democracy or the continuation of a   
  one-party state. On June 14, 1993, the people of Malawi voted overwhelmingly
  in favor of multi-party democracy. Free and fair national elections were held
  on May 17, 1994.                                                            
                                                                       
  Bakili Muluzi, leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was elected     
  President in those elections. The UDF won 82 of the 177 seats in the National
  Assembly and formed a coalition government with the Alliance for Democracy  
  (AFORD). That coalition disbanded in June 1996, but some of its members     
  remained in the government. The President was referred to as Dr. Muluzi,    
  having received an honorary degree at Lincoln University in Missouri in 1995.
  Malawi's newly written constitution (1995) eliminated special powers        
  previously reserved for the Malawi Congress Party. Accelerated economic     
  liberalization and structural reform accompanied the political transition.  
                                                                       
  On June 15, 1999, Malawi held its second democratic elections. Dr. Bakili   
  Muluzi was re-elected to serve a second 5-year term as President, despite an
  MCP-AFORD alliance that ran a joint slate against the UDF.                  
                                                                       
  Malawi saw its first transition between democratically elected presidents in
  May 2004, when the UDF's presidential candidate Bingu wa Mutharika defeated 
  MCP candidate John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, who was backed by a grouping 
  of opposition parties. The UDF, however, did not win a majority of seats in 
  parliament, as it had done in 1994 and 1999 elections. Through the          
  politicking of party chairperson and former President Bakili Muluzi, the    
  party successfully secured a majority by forming a "government of national  
  unity" with several opposition parties. President Bingu wa Mutharika left the
  UDF party on February 5, 2005, citing differences with the UDF, particularly
  over his anti-corruption campaign. He formed the Democratic Progressive Party
  (DPP) shortly thereafter, attracting a number of UDF and independent members
  of parliament (MPs) to his new party. The DPP, however, has also failed to  
  acquire enough support for a majority in parliament, and continues to face  
  stiff opposition from both the UDF and the MCP in parliament. Meanwhile, many
  politicians are already looking ahead to the next general elections in 2009,
  with Muluzi, Tembo, and Mutharika all expected to campaign for president.   
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  The Government of Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994. Under 
  the 1995 constitution, the president, who is both chief of state and head of
  the government, is chosen through universal direct suffrage every 5 years.  
  Malawi has a vice president who is elected with the president. The president
  has the option of appointing a second vice president, who must be from a    
  different party. The members of the presidentially appointed cabinet can be 
  drawn from either within or outside of the legislature. Malawi's National   
  Assembly has 193 seats, all directly elected to serve 5-year terms. The     
  constitution also provides for a second house, a Senate of 80 seats, but to 
  date no action has been taken to create the Senate. The Senate is intended to
  provide representation for traditional leaders and the different geographical
  districts, as well as various special interest groups, such as women, youth,
  and the disabled.                                                           
                                                                       
  The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. Malawi's judicial   
  system, based on the English model, is made up of magisterial lower courts, a
  high court, a Supreme Court of Appeal, and a constitutional court. Local    
  government is carried out in 28 districts within three regions administered 
  by regional administrators and district commissioners who are appointed by  
  the central government. Local elections, the first in the multi-party era,  
  took place in on November 21, 2000. The UDF party won 70% of the seats in   
  this election.                                                              
                                                                       
  The third multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections, originally   
  planned for May 18, 2004 were postponed by two days following a High Court  
  appeal by the main opposition Mgwirizano (Unity) coalition. The run-up to the
  poll was overshadowed by opposition claims of irregularities in the voters' 
  roll. European Union and Commonwealth observers said although voting passed 
  peacefully, they were concerned about "serious inadequacies" in the poll.   
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  President--Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika                                           
  Vice President--Dr. Cassim Chilumpha                                        
                                                                       
  Minister of Agriculture and Food Security--Bingu wa Mutharika               
  Minister of Economic Planning and Development--Ted Kalebe                   
  Minister of Finance--Godall Gondwe                                          
  Minister of Foreign Affairs--Joyce Banda                                    
  Minister of Health--Marjorie Ngaunje                                        
  Minister of Information--Patricia Kaliati                                   
  Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs--Henry Phoya                 
  Minister of Lands, Housing and Surveys--Ernest Malenga                      
  Minister of Local Government--George Chaponda                               
  Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture--Khumbo Kachali                       
  Minister of State in the President's Office--David Katsonga                 
  Minister of Trade and Industry--Ken Lipenga                                 
  Minister of Transport and Public Works--Henry Mussa                         
  Minister of Tourism--Calista Chimombo                                       
                                                                       
  Malawi maintains an embassy in the United States at 1156 15th Street, NW,   
  Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 (tel. 202-721-0270; fax 202-721-0288).      
  Malawi's Permanent Mission to the United Nations is located at 866 UN Plaza,
  Suite 486, New York, NY 10017 (tel.: 212-317-8738/8718; fax: 212-317-8729;  
  e-mail: Malawinewyork@aol.com or MalawiU@aol.com). Malawi also maintains an 
  Honorary Consulate in Los Angeles at 44970 Via Renaissance, Temecula,       
  California 92590 (office number, 951-676-2476; fax number, 951-676-1568; and
  e-mail, malawiconsul@yahoo.com).                                            
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Malawi is a landlocked, densely populated country. Its economy is heavily   
  dependent on agriculture. Malawi has few exploitable mineral resources. Its 
  two most important export crops are tobacco and tea. Traditionally Malawi has
  been self-sufficient in its staple food, maize, and during the 1980s exported
  substantial quantities to its drought-stricken neighbors. Agriculture       
  represents 34.7% of the GDP, accounts for over 80% of the labor force, and  
  represents about 80% of all exports. Nearly 90% of the population engages in
  subsistence farming. Smallholder farmers produce a variety of crops,        
  including maize (corn), beans, rice, cassava, tobacco, and groundnuts       
  (peanuts).The agricultural sector contributes about 63.7% of total income for
  the rural population, 65% of manufacturing sector's raw materials, and      
  approximately 87% of total employment. Financial wealth is generally        
  concentrated in the hands of a small elite. Malawi's manufacturing industries
  are situated around the city of Blantyre.                                   
                                                                       
  Malawi's economic reliance on the export of agricultural commodities renders
  it particularly vulnerable to external shocks such as declining terms of    
  trade and drought. High transport costs, which can comprise over 30% of its 
  total import bill, constitute a serious impediment to economic development  
  and trade. Malawi must import all its fuel products. Paucity of skilled     
  labor; difficulty in obtaining expatriate employment permits; bureaucratic  
  red tape; corruption; and inadequate and deteriorating road, electricity,   
  water, and telecommunications infrastructure further hinder economic        
  development in Malawi. However, recent government initiatives targeting     
  improvements in the road infrastructure, together with private sector       
  participation in railroad and telecommunications, have begun to render the  
  investment environment more attractive.                                     
                                                                       
  Malawi has undertaken economic structural adjustment programs supported by  
  the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other donors since
  1981. Broad reform objectives include stimulation of private sector activity
  and participation through the elimination of price controls and industrial  
  licensing, liberalization of trade and foreign exchange, rationalization of 
  taxes, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and civil service reform.  
                                                                       
  In May 2004, the IMF program begun in 2000 was canceled and a Staff-Monitored
  Program (SMP) was implemented. In the wake of questions about fiscal        
  creditability, the SMP's goal was to give Malawi's newly-elected government 
  the chance to establish a track record of fiscal discipline. A new Poverty  
  Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) was approved on August 5, 2005 after a 
  successful SMP. In August 2006 Malawi successfully reached the completion   
  point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, resulting
  in debt relief from multilateral and Paris Club creditors. Over $2 billion in
  debt has since been cancelled, enabling the government to increase          
  expenditures for development. A new PRGF has since been undertaken.         
                                                                       
  Real GDP increased by an estimated 2.1% in 2005, from 4.6% in 2004 and 3.9% 
  in 2003. Inflation has been largely under control since 2003, averaging 10% 
  in that year and 11% in 2006. Discount and commercial lending rates have also
  declined from 40%-45% in 2003 to 22.5% currently. The government has moved  
  away from controlling the exchange rate, allowing the Kwacha to drift since 
  down since March 2005. As of April 2007 the Kwacha had depreciated to 139 to
  the U.S. dollar. Nevertheless, imports still heavily outweigh exports, and  
  the country continues to suffer from a severe shortage of foreign exchange. 
                                                                       
  Malawi has bilateral trade agreements with its two major trading partners,  
  South Africa and Zimbabwe, both of which allow duty-free entry of Malawian  
  products into their countries.                                              
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  Malawi has continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former   
  President Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal 
  Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the
  apartheid era strained its relations with other African nations. Following  
  the collapse of apartheid in 1994, Malawi developed, and currently maintains,
  strong diplomatic relations with all African countries.                     
                                                                       
  Between 1985 and 1995, Malawi accommodated more than a million refugees from
  Mozambique. The refugee crisis placed a substantial strain on Malawi's      
  economy but also drew significant inflows of international assistance. The  
  accommodation and eventual repatriation of the Mozambicans is considered a  
  major success by international organizations. In 1996, Malawi received a    
  number of Rwandan and Congolese refugees seeking asylum. The government did 
  not turn away refugees, but it did invoke the principle of "first country of
  asylum." Under this principle, refugees who requested asylum in another     
  country first, or who had the opportunity to do so, would not subsequently be
  granted asylum in Malawi. There were no reports of the forcible repatriation
  of refugees.                                                                
                                                                       
  Important bilateral donors, in addition to the U.S., include Canada, Libya, 
  Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and the   
  United Kingdom. Multilateral donors include the World Bank, the IMF, the    
  European Union, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations        
  organizations.                                                              
                                                                       
  Malawi is a member of the following international organizations: UN and some
  of its specialized and related agencies (i.e. UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO), IMF,  
  World Bank, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World          
  Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Berne Convention, Universal      
  Copyright Convention, African Union, Lome Convention, African Development   
  Bank (AFDB), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market
  for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Nonaligned Movement, G-77, and the   
  World Health Organization (WHO).                                            
                                                                       
  U.S.-MALAWIAN RELATIONS                                                     
  The transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy            
  significantly strengthened the already cordial U.S. relationship with Malawi.
  Significant numbers of Malawians study in the United States. The United     
  States has an active Peace Corps program, Centers for Disease Control and   
  Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, and an Agency for      
  International Development (USAID) mission in Malawi.                        
                                                                       
  U.S. and Malawian views on the necessity of economic and political stability
  in southern Africa generally coincide. Through a pragmatic assessment of its
  own national interests and foreign policy objectives, Malawi advocates      
  peaceful solutions to the region's problems through negotiation. Malawi works
  to achieve these objectives in the United Nations, COMESA, and SADC. Malawi 
  is the first southern African country to receive peacekeeping training under
  the U.S.-sponsored African Crisis Response Force Initiative (ACRI) and has  
  joined the successor program, African Contingency Operations Training       
  Assistance (ACOTA). It has an active slate of peacetime engagement          
  military-to-military programs. The two countries maintain a continuing      
  dialogue through diplomatic representatives and periodic visits by senior   
  officials.                                                                  
                                                                       
  U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)                           
  The United States has a substantial foreign assistance program in Malawi. The
  U.S. Government provides about $60 million annually in development assistance
  under USAID's Country Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2001-2007. The    
  primary goal of USAID assistance is poverty reduction and increased food    
  security through broad-based, market-led economic growth, focusing on four  
  areas: sustainable increases in rural incomes, increased civic involvement in
  the rule of law, improved health behavior and services, and improved quality
  and efficiency of basic education. The USAID program is implemented in      
  partnership with the Government of Malawi, nongovernmental organizations    
  (NGOs), other U.S. Government agencies, U.S. private voluntary organizations,
  contractors, and other partners.                                            
                                                                       
  USAID's program to increase rural incomes includes training and technical   
  assistance to increase smallholder (crop, dairy, forest, and fishery)       
  productivity; foster additional trade linkages among small farmer producer  
  associations, larger commodity-specific industry clusters, and export markets
  (e.g. cassava, chilies, ground nuts, cotton, coffee, etc.); improve access to
  demand-driven financial services for micro, small and medium-size enterprises
  (MSMEs); increase rural households' revenues from sustainable natural       
  resource management; and improve food security for vulnerable families in   
  Malawi's rural areas. USAID is also encouraging smallholders to diversify   
  into dairy production, a very lucrative business in Malawi and well-suited to
  Malawi's limited land area. USAID grantee Land O' Lakes (LOL), partnering   
  with World Wide Sires, continues to promote the growth of the dairy industry
  in Malawi through 55 dairy associations with over 6,376 members (46% of which
  are women). Milk sales grew by 71% this year, from U.S. $439,276 in FY 2004 
  to U.S. $752,000.                                                           
                                                                       
  2005 was a year of transition for the Democracy/Governance portfolio. The   
  primary focus was on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold   
  Country Program development process in Malawi, which resulted in a $20.9    
  million award to Malawi to fight corruption and increase fiscal             
  responsibility. U.S Economic Support Funds (ESF) complemented the MCC       
  Threshold Country Plan formulation, providing technical and training support
  to the Anti-Corruption Bureau Investigation Department, delivered by the    
  Department of Treasury. USAID also mobilized a project supported with       
  Conflict Mitigation and Management funding, building on the strength of     
  previous work through radio, to reduce the potential of inter-religious     
  conflict in Malawi. During the year many projects associated with the       
  Mission's previous strategy closed out and another project was terminated for
  the convenience of the government to accommodate changes in partner funding 
  priorities.                                                                 
                                                                       
  In 2005 the USAID Health Team met or exceeded almost all of its targets.    
  Under-five mortality rates declined from a high of 189 per thousand live    
  births in 2000 to 133 per thousand live births in 2004--much lower than the 
  2005 target of 175 per thousand. Total fertility rate (TFR) declined to 6   
  children per woman, which was the target for 2005. The proportion of Malawian
  children sleeping under an insecticide treated bednet (ITN) (26% in 2004) was
  more than three times the proportion (8%) sleeping under an ITN in 2000. In 
  the area of HIV prevention, the number of USAID-assisted counseling and     
  testing centers increased from 3 in 2000 to 51 in FY 2005--overshooting the 
  target of 39 sites. The number of clients assisted at these sites per year  
  increased from about 22,000 in 2000 to more than 59,000 in 2005. The country
  completed a national Demographic and Health Survey with major support from  
  USAID/Malawi. The report makes available the first-ever nationally          
  representative population-based HIV sero-prevalence rate for Malawi, which is
  important for better-informed policy and program decisions as the nation    
  combats the HIV/AIDS epidemic.                                              
                                                                       
  Improving the quality and efficiency of basic education remain the major    
  development challenges in the Malawi education system. USAID continues to   
  fund activities that target quality and efficiency at the primary education 
  sub-sector level, which is having a positive effect at both the local and   
  national levels. At the local level, USAID-funded activities are helping    
  communities and parents make more informed decisions to improve the quality 
  and efficiency of primary schooling. In 2005 USAID continued to improve the 
  quality and efficiency of basic education through: (1) development of       
  teachers' professional skills through long-term undergraduate and graduate  
  training in Malawi and the U.S.; (2) reinforcement of innovative classroom  
  practices through pre-service and in-service teacher training; (3)          
  participation of communities and teacher training colleges in HIV/AIDS      
  outreach activities; (4) support of Government of Malawi adoption of key    
  policy reforms in teacher education and HIV/AIDS; and (5) improving the     
  quality and quantity of data available for policymaking.                    
                                                                       
  The United States is the largest contributor to the World Food Program (WFP)
  in Malawi, providing over $100 million in food and other emergency assistance
  through WFP since early 2002. USAID will coordinate requests to the U.S.    
  Government for humanitarian assistance, and WFP will handle the logistics of
  import and distribution.                                                    
                                                                       
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human  
  Services                                                                    
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health  
  and Human Services (DHHS) operates two programs within Malawi: Global AIDS  
  Program (GAP) and Malawi Malaria Program (MMP).                             
                                                                       
  The CDC GAP office started in November 2001 with an emphasis on establishing
  long-term working relationships with the Malawi Government, the National AIDS
  Commission (NAC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH). The major areas of focus 
  during the initial phase included strengthening Voluntary Counseling and    
  Testing (VCT), HIV surveillance, evaluation, infrastructure, and            
  capacity-building activities.                                               
                                                                       
  GAP Malawi supports multiple HIV surveillance activities including sentinel 
  surveillance and the Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE)      
  survey. In partnership with NAC, CDC GAP continued to strengthen VCT,       
  developing multiple national VCT building blocks such as VCT Guidelines and 
  VCT Training materials. CDC GAP also improved the communications and data   
  analysis capacity at NAC by helping to establish their computer system and  
  establish the foundation for data analysis.                                 
                                                                       
  In 2003, responsibility for the HIV technical activity was transferred from 
  NAC back to the MOH. CDC awarded two cooperative agreements to provide      
  transitional support for a smooth transfer of activities, roles and         
  responsibilities. In addition, GAP has cooperative agreements that support  
  implementation of quality VCT, HIV treatment, and pre-service training to   
  strengthen HIV testing capacity. Capacity-building is an integral part of all
  GAP Malawi activities. GAP Malawi recently went through a joint HIV/AIDS    
  strategy development process, along with USAID, the Department of Defense,  
  Peace Corps, and the Embassy.                                               
                                                                       
  The CDC MMP is jointly funded by USAID and CDC has evolved to provide more  
  support to the national prevention and control program. CDC MMP has supported
  the work of the National Malaria Control Programme in developing the country
  strategic plan for Roll Back Malaria (RBM), developing the national "Malaria
  Policy," developing guidelines for the management of ITNs Program, and      
  participating in other national program activities.                         
                                                                       
  The Blantyre Integrated Malaria Initiative (BIMI), a program of CDC MMP, is a
  district-wide malaria-control effort, supported jointly by the Government of
  Malawi, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and 
  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). BIMI was established in
  Blantyre District, Malawi in 1998 to promote sustainable and effective      
  strategies to manage and prevent malaria-related morbidity and mortality.   
                                                                       
  Initial BIMI efforts focused on measurement of baseline data at health      
  facilities and in the community. The information gathered was used to       
  identify gaps in malaria control activities, to guide strategies for        
  implementation of interventions, and to provide baseline measurements so that
  the success of program interventions can be monitored.                      
                                                                       
  Peace Corps                                                                 
  The first Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Malawi in 1963. Under the       
  conservative Banda regime, the program was suspended for several years due to
  the "nonconformist" role of some volunteers but was restored in 1978. Since 
  that time, the program has developed a close working relationship with the  
  Government of Malawi. In total, over 2,200 Americans have served as Peace   
  Corps volunteers in Malawi.                                                 
                                                                       
  The change of government in 1994 allowed the placement of volunteers at the 
  community level for the first time. With the increased flexibility in       
  programming, the Peace Corps began working to refocus programming and       
  identify more appropriate areas for Peace Corps intervention at the community
  level. Currently, there are about 100 volunteers working in health,         
  education, and environment.                                                 
                                                                       
  Health volunteers work in areas of AIDS education, orphan care, home-based  
  care, youth and at-risk groups, child survival activities, nutrition, disease
  prevention, environmental health, and women's health issues. For many years,
  Peace Corps/Malawi had the only stand-alone HIV/AIDS project in the Peace   
  Corps, and HIV/AIDS continues to be the cornerstone for health activities.  
                                                                       
  Education volunteers teach in the fields of physical science, mathematics,  
  biology, and English at Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs), generally  
  community-started and -supported entities.                                  
                                                                       
  Environment volunteers focus on community-based management of natural       
  resources with border communities near national parks and forest reserves   
  that want to utilize their resources in a more sustainable manner. This     
  includes the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices,               
  income-generating activities, and agroforestry interventions.               
                                                                       
  The Crisis Corps program utilizes returned volunteers in short-term         
  assignments for specific projects related to HIV/AIDS and food security.    
  Crisis Corps volunteers are generally assigned with a local NGO to assist   
  with activities that build capacity and develop materials within the        
  organizations.                                                              
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Officials                                                    
  Ambassador--Alan Eastham                                                    
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Kevin Sullivan                                     
  USAID Mission Director--Curt Reintsma                                       
  Peace Corps Director--Dale Mosier                                           
  Centers for Disease Control Director--Austin Demby                          
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy in Malawi is situated in the diplomatic enclave adjacent to
  Lilongwe's City Center section. The address is American Embassy, P.O. Box   
  30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi (tel. +265- (0)1 773 166/342/367; fax +265- (0)1  
  772-471).                                                                   
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens traveling or residing   
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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