Lilongwe, Malawi

November 24, 2025

Mzangunya Mkandawire

Mutharika Reaffirms Commitment to Address Malawi’s Fuel, Food, and Forex Challenges

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has reiterated his administration’s commitment to resolving Malawi’s critical economic challenges, particularly fuel shortages, limited farm inputs, and rising food insecurity.

Speaking on Sunday during a meeting with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at Mtunthama State Lodge in Lilongwe, Mutharika said addressing short-term constraints—such as debt restructuring and low foreign exchange reserves—remains a priority.

“We will get support from the IMF, the private sector and government institutions to address both the short and long-term forex challenges so that we can stabilise the economy as soon as possible,” Mutharika said.

He noted that a significant portion of government revenue is currently being used to service the country’s debt, but expressed optimism that ongoing discussions and IMF engagement would help ease the pressure.

“At the moment, all the revenue we collect is being used to service debts, but we are working on this. We are also hopeful that the IMF will intervene with the necessary solutions,” he added.

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralization, Joseph Mwanamveka, said the discussions were productive and enabled the IMF to better appreciate the President’s strategy for stabilizing the economy.

“What is pleasing is that the IMF is ready to help. They understand the situation on the ground and the challenges we inherited from the previous administration. We expect the IMF to support us in terms of foreign exchange, which is a key pillar for the development of this country,” Mwanamveka said.

IMF Director for Africa, Abebe Selassie, praised the President’s vision and commitment to confronting macroeconomic vulnerabilities, and pledged the Fund’s continued support.

“IMF is ready to support Malawi in addressing the macroeconomic crisis through policy advice, capacity development and financing. We are in the process of supporting government reforms and will make recommendations wherever necessary,” Selassie said.

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