| Background |
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Malawi is a very peaceful country and is referred to as, “The Warm Heart of Africa.”One of the only few in Africa to never have civil conflict. Former President Banda established a pro-Western foreign policy that is continued into 2008 and includes good diplomatic relationships with many Western countries. The transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy strengthened Malawian ties with the United States. Significant numbers of students from Malawi come to the US for schooling, and the US has active branches of the Peace Corps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency for International Development in Malawi. Malawi maintained close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era, which strained Malawi's relationships with other African countries, but following the collapse of apartheid in 1994 strong diplomatic relationships were made and maintained into 2008 between Malawi and all other African countries. Malawi has been seen as a haven for refugees from other African countries, including Mozambique and Rwanda, since 1985. These influxes of refugees have placed a strain on the Malawian economy but have also drawn significant inflows of aid from other countries. Donors to Malawi include the US, Canada, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK, as well as international institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the European Union, the African Development Bank and UN organizations. Malawi is a member of several international organizations including the UN and some of its child agencies, the IMF, the World Bank, the African Union and the World Health Organization. Malawi tends to view economic and political stability in southern Africa as a necessity, and advocates peaceful solutions through negotiation. The country is the first in southern Africa to receive peacekeeping training under the African Crisis Response Force Initiative. It also coincides with the Global Week of Action against Gun Violence, which falls during the first week of June every year, and in Malawi (it) will take place from June 2 to 8. Malawi commemorates the week by, among other things, destroying illegal fire arms at National Police Headquarters in Lilongwe, under the auspices of the National Focal Point on the Control of Fire Arms.” Since its independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi has enjoyed political stability under a multi-party democracy. Though politically stable, the country struggles with major development issues. Over the past two decades Malawi has been hit with crippling droughts, avalanches, and floods. A serious drought in 2005 and 2006 has put pressure on the tobacco sector, which makes up 60% of Malawi’s exports. Environmental problems such as deforestation and soil degradation create additional problems for the countries sustenance farmers. Malawi is also grappling with serious problems in providing education. Despite the government’s introduction in 1994 of free primary education for all children—resulting in an increase from 1.9 to 3.2 million primary school students—only 78% of children attend primary school. In addition, there are high dropout rates and a low quality of education. MALAWI STATISTICS: |