Details have emerged that European Union (EU) officials are discussing the issue of slashing its 100 delegations (offices) from 100 to 18.
The EU’s Directorate- General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) is planning to slash more than four out of every five hubs worldwide, hence the reduction from around 100 delegations to 18 hubs.
According to reports, INTPA will maintain its offices in Ghana, Senegal and Ethiopia, with a particular emphasis on migration as these countries harbour the majority of asylum seekers who arrive in Europe via irregular routes.
The drastic reforms would reduce worldwide hubs to 18 strategic hubs and these offices are located in Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean.
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If the plan succeeds, the staff at the EU office in Malawi may be slashed.
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This comes at a time the international donor landscape is facing uncertainty, with the United States Agency for International Development (USaid) recently announcing a 90-day suspension of its activities worldwide, including in Malawi.
In an exclusive interview Tuesday, EU Ambassador to Malawi Rune Skinnebach said the EU had no immediate plans to downsize its delegation in Malawi, despite ongoing discussions on modernising its global network.
But he cautioned that future adjustments could not be entirely ruled out, as resource constraints and efficiency considerations are always factors in diplomatic operations.
“Clearly, we need to constantly think about how we can improve the effectiveness of our network, bearing in mind the European taxpayers’ money that funds it. Whether this leads to a strengthening or weakening of our presence in Malawi is completely up in the air for now,” Skinnebach said.
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He admitted that there have been internal reflections on possible restructuring of EU delegations worldwide.
“What I have seen is, indeed, that as part of our permanent effort to modernise our delegation network, a number of ideas have been floated. But I can reassure you that this reflection paper has not been negotiated, nor has it been adopted by the External Action Service or the EU member states,” Skinnebach said.
He said the deliberations on reducing around 100 delegations to 18 hubs remained at the preliminary stage and had not been formally discussed or adopted by key EU bodies.
He further noted that the EU’s new leadership, which took over in November last year, was committed to strengthening its diplomatic presence globally rather than reducing it.
While acknowledging the pressures, the ambassador reiterated that Malawi remained a key partner for the EU and that there were no immediate plans to alter the current engagement.
“For now, we are steadfast in Malawi. We have been here since 1976 and are engaging with Malawi at an unprecedented level through budget support, biannual dialogues and high-level visits.
“There is no reason to question the EU’s commitment to Malawi at this time,” he said.
Government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu said, from the time of Covid, the world has been reshaping in many aspects.
He said countries had to re-strategise and realign with objectives that suit their individual aspirations.
“With the direction that Malawi has taken in safeguarding its mineral endowment, Malawi will be the most beautiful girl in town very soon. The issue of perpetual dependence on aid will be history,” Kunkuyu said.
Meanwhile, economic commentator Velli Nyirongo has said if the EU plans to slash the number of its hubs, Malawi could be affected through the loss of jobs for the staff engaged at local offices, with service providers also losing business.
