UK reaffirms support to Malawi's development project
Remarks by the British High Commissioner David Beer, during the 2022 Queen's Birthday Party.
High Commissioner David Beer and Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo making a toast
On Wednesday, 8 June 2022, the British High Commission in Lilongwe celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s 96th birthday and Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
At the celebrations, outgoing UK High Commissioner David Beer introduced his successor, Ms Fiona Ritchie. Below are some of key highlights from Beer’s speech at the celebrations:
The Platinum Jubilee reminds us of just how long the UK’s warm and constructive relationship with Malawi has lasted. And this relationship matters to us now more than ever.
The world is at a crossroads. We have seen Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion not only cause devastation within Ukraine itself, but also hugely damage the global economy, with far-reaching impacts on global commodity prices, and on strained international relationships.
Within this, Malawi has stood proud internationally, demonstrating in practice what a genuinely ethical and consistent foreign policy looks like. From its stand in supporting Ukraine at international fora; to its leadership as head of the LDC grouping at the UN, to advocating eloquently at COP26 last year for sufficient attention within the negotiations on adaptation and finance. And, I would like to single out the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs for her outstanding work on this in her previous role; not forgetting Malawi’s reinvigorated regional role in the last two years, as it has provided thoughtful and effective leadership through its Presidency of the Southern African Development Community.
This builds on years of quietly effective engagement internationally, which the UK has been proud to support – not least Malawi’s long-standing contributions of highly reputed UN peacekeeping troops in the DRC. And we as the UK remain firmly committed to this partnership.
But we know also that like other countries, Malawi cannot escape the impact of these global issues internally. And the road ahead will not necessarily be easy. As Her Majesty the Queen once said: ‘When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future’.
The UK is determined to play its part in helping make that struggle a successful one – one that delivers Malawi’s vision and ambition to reach middle income status. This will need hard work and brave choices. Allow me to highlight 3 building blocks for this brighter future for Malawians, in each of which the UK reaffirms its support to Malawi’s development project.
Firstly, the UK strongly endorses the President’s vision of turning Malawi into an inclusively wealth and self-reliant middle income nation. We commend the recent – necessary – macro-economic decisions by Government in order to address debt and foreign exchange challenges. And we stand with Malawi as it makes the further structural reforms required to set the macro-economy on a sustainable footing.
Once this is in place, we believe there are tremendous opportunities in Malawi to attract foreign investment – which is the engine of growth and which will provide the foreign exchange, jobs and tax revenue that will guarantee Malawi’s future prosperity. In order to do so, Malawi needs to become competitive with its resurgent regional peers in the eyes of investors.
The foundations for this are simple – a philosophical, legislative and practical commitment to working out what the private sector needs, and implementing that. Meaningful, substantive consultation with the private sector at all levels of Government would ensure that legislation and policy development is truly grounded in, and shaped by the economic imperatives of the country. Which in turn generates investor confidence. As His Excellency the President said in his State of the Nation address, we need to treat the private sector ‘as an ally, not an adversary’.
The UK is also putting our money where our mouth is, investing tens of millions of pounds of public UK funds, into successful firms in Malawi. This is being done through highly effective vehicles such as British Investment International (previously CDC) and AgDevCo. Private British companies – and I welcome many of you here tonight – have also made significant long-term financial commitments to the future. We are proud that UK businesses are some of the largest employers, taxpayers and foreign exchange earners. The success of investors, and therefore of the economy more widely, depends on a supportive investment climate.
Secondly, good quality investment thrives on a level and transparent playing field. I applaud the strong messages to Government and society that the President has issued on the fight against corruption. 2 weeks ago in his address to the country, he expressed his frustration at the roadblocks put in the way of investigations by some groups, while also making clear Government’s commitment to adequately finance the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and to swiftly progress cases.
And we commend the efforts of Malawi’s own anti-corruption champions, both within Government and in civil society. Maintaining the enviable reputation that Malawi has built recently, will depend on turning those instructions into action; and enabling those reformers, and not hindering them.
The UK has been a supporter of anti-corruption efforts and institutions for over a decade now. And we will maintain that support, both to help law enforcement agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau drive progress, and to support the development of innovative tools such as asset forfeiture, plea bargaining and unexplained wealth orders that will make it easier to stop criminals profiting from their actions.
Thirdly, responding to the needs of ordinary people during the times ahead will be vital. This means prioritising the provision of basic services and support to the most vulnerable, that allows Malawi’s very capable population to thrive and prosper.
The UK has for long, invested major development financing to help build Malawi’s education and health systems, to support family planning, to address the needs of the most vulnerable, to champion the rights of women and girls, and to respond to humanitarian emergencies. Our partnership in facing COVID-19, including financing, vaccines, oxygen production facilities and training, is testament to the UK’s commitment to stand with Malawi when it is in need.
And our programming to build the longer-term platform for success for girls and boys in Malawi – from safeguarding the environment they will inherit in tackling Malawi’s devastating deforestation, to revolutionising the way maths is taught in schools – is a sign that we take our long-term commitment seriously.
Our 2 countries’ historic partnership has been based on strongly felt shared values, on mutual respect, and on a vision for a better world. And our common membership of the Commonwealth is a reminder that these values are shared right across the world. And on this basis, I can only see our relationship getting stronger in the years ahead.