Malawi Country Facts - Tips

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 citizenstraveling 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. ***********************************************************
See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all Background notes
************************************************************
To change your subscription, go to http://www.state.gov/misc/echannels/66822.htm Malawi Country Facts

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