Malawi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday signed a series of landmark agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in key sectors including diplomacy, trade, mining, and education.
The signing ceremony, held at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, was witnessed by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was in the country on a one-day official visit.
According to Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo, the agreements represent a major step forward in advancing Malawi’s long-term development goals under the MW2063 blueprint, which aspires to transform the country into a middle-income economy.
“The President has been engaging with different countries on how they can contribute to Malawi’s development,” said Tembo. “This signing shows his commitment to building meaningful partnerships that will drive economic growth.”
The MoUs cover a broad range of cooperation areas:
- Trade and Investment: To facilitate commercial partnerships and investment opportunities between the two countries;
- Mining: Enabling technical and financial cooperation in Malawi’s growing mineral extraction sector;
- Education: Strengthening collaboration in academic exchange, training, and capacity-building;
- Diplomatic Training: Providing Malawi with access to advanced diplomatic training programs in the UAE.
The high-level visit by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan follows President Chakwera’s own trip to the UAE in December 2024, where he engaged several top officials and promoted Malawi’s Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) strategy.
During his December visit, President Chakwera outlined Malawi’s ambitions to attract foreign direct investment, particularly in the mining and agribusiness sectors, and called for greater cooperation with Gulf nations in realizing those goals.
The UAE, whose economy is valued at over US$415 billion—making it the third largest in the Middle East—has shown growing interest in expanding its diplomatic and economic footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, with Malawi emerging as a promising partner.
Sheikh Abdullah arrived and left on the same Tuesday through Kamuzu International Airport and on departure he was officially seen off by the State Vice President Dr. Michael Usi.
As Malawi intensifies its diplomatic outreach, Tuesday’s signing signals a deepening relationship between Lilongwe and Abu Dhabi, built on mutual interests and a shared vision for sustainable development.
