Canada-Malawi relations
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Bilateral relations
Canada and Malawi established diplomatic relations in 1973. Canada’s High Commission in Harare, Zimbabwe, is responsible for diplomatic relations with Malawi, while Malawi manages its relations with Canada through its High Commission in Washington, D.C.
The partnership between the two countries is anchored in development assistance and cooperation in multilateral forums such as the UN and Commonwealth.
Trade relations
The Malawi market presents opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors in the renewable energies, ICT, and mining sectors. In 2023, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Malawi totaled $8.5 million, comprising of $6.5 million in exports from Canada and of $2.0 million in imports from Malawi.
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International assistance
The majority of Canada’s assistance is delivered through regional multilateral organizations or implemented by Canadian and international non-governmental organizations in partnership with Malawian local organizations. From 2018 to 2023, Canada contributed a total of $205.8M in programming in Malawi, primarily through initiatives focused on agricultural development, sexual and reproductive health, and maternal, newborn and child health. In 2023, Canada provided $3.25M of humanitarian assistance to Malawi following the devastating Cyclone Freddy as well as $960,000 to help address Malawi’s cholera outbreak. This funding was primarily channelled through UNICEF, the World Food Programme and Médecins Sans Frontières. Canada also supports over 200 volunteer placements to improve the economic and social wellbeing of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, with a view to contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Operations
Canada has a solid long-standing working relationship with the Malawi Defence Force through the Military Training Cooperation Program (MTCP). Since 1976, 171 Malawian officers have benefited from MTCP training. With the help of Canadian funding, the Malawian Ministry of Defence opened a Peace Support Training Centre on Lake Malawi in 2012. The centre caters to Malawi’s national training needs and the needs of the Southern African Development Community.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Malawi work closely in multilateral forums, such as:
- Commonwealth
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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