Malawi and the European Union held their fourth Partnership Dialogue in Lilongwe on 16 April 2026, marking 50 years of relations between the two sides.
The talks took place at the Bingu wa Mutharika International Convention Centre and brought together EU representatives and senior Malawian ministers, the European External Action Service announced on Friday.
Discussions covered future priorities for the Malawi–EU partnership and EU investments and projects under the Global Gateway programme, including work linked to energy and transport infrastructure, education and agriculture, the statement said.
Global Gateway is the EU’s initiative for international investment in areas such as infrastructure and connectivity.
The dialogue also reviewed outcomes of the African Union–EU Summit, the COP30 climate meeting and Malawi’s fourth Universal Periodic Review — the UN-led process in which each country’s human rights record is periodically examined — which were held in late 2025.
What leaders said
Foreign Affairs Minister George T. Chaponda said Malawi welcomed continued engagement through the Partnership Dialogue and described it as a platform to strengthen cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest, the EEAS informed.
EU Ambassador Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi said the EU and its member states were partners for Malawi in areas aligned to Malawi Vision 2063, citing infrastructure and development projects including the M1 Road, the Mpatamanga Hydropower Station, secondary education and vocational training, as well as agricultural value chains, mining and social protection.
The Malawian delegation was led by Chaponda and included ministers responsible for industrialisation, justice and constitutional affairs, and natural resources, alongside senior officials.
On the EU side, the dialogue was co-chaired by Gaztelumendi and included ambassadors and senior diplomats from several EU member states.
Partnership Dialogue meetings are held twice a year at senior political level to exchange views on issues of common interest and agree priorities for bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement.
