By the European Union
Barely two months into the year 2025, everyone will agree that we are living in a time of turmoil. The agitation on the international scene comes with unforeseen, sudden developments and quickly changing contexts, and may be unsettling. Strong partnerships, however, are designed to withstand strong headwinds. And I can assure you that the EU’s partnership with Malawi is built to last.
The arrival of tumultuous times are affecting the way we have organised our international relationships, but the EU will stand strong. We want the EU in the world to be the antithesis to the autocratic axis forming today. To achieve that, we do not want to close offices, on the contrary, our plan is to grow Europe’s reach. So let me set the record straight from the outset: We do not intend to reduce our network across the globe. The EU has been present in Malawi for almost 40 years, and we are here to stay.
The foundations of the Malawi-EU partnership are formed by our joint values, including our commitment to multilateralism, democracy, and human rights. Multilateralism, is under threat right now, and as clearly stated by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, we need to see this as an opportunity to develop the i n t e r n a t i o n a l system further, for it to be more inclusive for all countries in the world, and more accountable to their peoples. If we, the EU and Malawi, are not there, on that stage, asking the right questions, pushing for inclusiveness and championing democratic values, then who is?
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We want to expand our reach, and our values and interests, but we remain Europe. The EU and our Member States are still the largest global provider of Official Development Assistance, over 40% of the total amount. This is a lot of money, yet the EU’s contribution often goes unnoticed. Increasingly, when and where we spend this money, we will make sure it reflects not only our values but the EU’s interests, too.
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In the EU-Malawi partnership, values and interests align, and there is a space for cooperation. Obviously Malawi, like every other country, is guided by its own interests, and it is free to choose its allies accordingly. This is why we appreciate so much that Malawi continues, together with the EU, to buck the trend by consistently voting against human, civil and sovereign rights violations, and continues to resist pressure from autocracies. And this is why we are pleased to remain the reliable, predictable and credible partner.
This means that we will continue to be explicit and transparent about the strings attached to our cooperation – unlike some other global actors. Those strings are firmly attached to the values we have in common: democracy , the rule of law, upholding human rights, a sound management of public finances, accountability, and transparency.
This is what we call like-mindedness, and with like-minded countries we will maintain and strengthen our alliances, nurture mutually beneficial partnerships and explore the strategic opportunities that will arise from the current turbulence. And once the dust settles, I am positive that Malawi and the EU will emerge with stronger economies and societies.
We have on our agenda a number of important events this year, including the EU-African Union Ministerial and Summit. Let’s make the most out of the occasion. In the words of our HRVP, Kaja Kallas: “We should be the architects of creative solutions”. We need to play that role with our global partners like Malawi, and on the international stage, in multilateral fora. Malawi and the EU are in this together.
