Malawi is advancing its disaster risk assessment capabilities in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the Southern African Development Community. According to a United Nations Development Programme report, a technical workshop convened in Lilongwe to review the Index for Risk Management methodology and the country's baseline risk profile. The initiative aims to enhance national and district-level planning, allowing government institutions and development partners to better use risk information for preparedness, investment, and early action against climate shocks.
Update: Building on earlier economic warnings from the International Monetary Fund, a new report highlights specific risks regarding food security and electricity. According to Malawi24, the IMF's October 2026 Regional Economic Outlook Update for Sub-Saharan Africa cautions that below-normal rainfall expected through March 2027 could damage agricultural production and hydropower generation. The IMF urged the Malawian government to strengthen beneficiary registers and secure funding mechanisms to deliver rapid assistance to vulnerable households when the anticipated shortages occur.
On the regional human rights front, international advocacy group Equality Now has urged African governments to strengthen protections against child trafficking and exploitation, highlighting a recent case involving Malawi. According to AfricaBrief, the organisation presented its concerns to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, warning that emerging legal frameworks and overlapping crises threaten to reverse progress in children's rights across the continent.
Meanwhile, former President Lazarus Chakwera has resumed his international religious engagements, returning to the pulpit in Ghana. Nyasa Times reports that Chakwera served as a guest preacher at Cedar Mountain Chapel International in Accra after participating in the 10th World Assemblies of God Congress. The visit highlights his continuing role as a global church leader following the completion of his presidential term.