Malawi joined 16 other African nations in Cairo to adopt a Joint Ministerial Statement on the Global Compact for Migration, according to an April 1 statement from the International Organization for Migration. The agreement aligns regional priorities to expand legal labour mobility pathways and improve cross-border management ahead of the International Migration Review Forum in New York.
In regional developments, the SADC Secretariat announced on April 1 that Malawi is one of eight member states to complete in-country assessments for the SADC Pooled Procurement Services. This group contracting model is projected to reduce the cost of essential medicines by up to 40 percent across the bloc. Meanwhile, a regional economic review published by the Malawi Freedom Network highlighted that Malawians are paying approximately K6,600 per litre at the pump. The report notes this is nearly three times the cost of fuel in neighbouring Zambia, making Malawi's fuel prices some of the highest in the region.
At the United Nations, Malawi outlined its agricultural diplomacy during a side event at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. According to the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, Malawian delegates discussed a March 31 partnership with Morocco and OCP Africa to explore locally adapted fertiliser production. The discussions focused on supporting female farmers to strengthen food security and regional value chains.