* As she bids farewell to her tenure of office in Malawi during the birthday celebration of Great Britain’s King Charles III on Thursday
* Reflected on her stay in the country and looked forward to the future by highlighting partnerships, prosperity and peace
* Nowhere is our partnership more important than in working with Malawi on our shared goal of increasing the prosperity of the country and its people
* British firms are some of the biggest investors in both Malawi’s well-established agriculture sector but also its sunrise industries — particularly mining
By Duncan Mlanjira
During the birthday celebration of Great Britain’s King Charles III on Thursday held at her residence in Area 10, Lilongwe, the British High Commissioner to Malawi, Her Excellency Fiona Ritchie announced that the event was one of her final laps of her tenure of office in the country — and reflected on her stay that ends next month, while looking forward to the future by highlighting partnerships, prosperity and peace.
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During her five-year tour of duty in Malawi, Her Excellency Ritchie first served as Head of Development Cooperation before being elevated to her capacity she is bidding farewell to.
On prosperity, Ritchie said nowhere is the British partnership more important than in working with Malawi on the shared goal of increasing the prosperity of the country and its people.
“British firms are some of the biggest investors in both Malawi’s well-established agriculture sector but also its sunrise industries — particularly mining,” she said. “Over the past few years, mining is the area where we’ve seen most dynamism by firms, and clear prioritisation through His Excellency the President’s agriculture, tourism & mining (ATM) strategy.
“I’m delighted that we’ve already been able to support the government, for example through high-quality advice on revenue management and contract negotiation.
“Of course, most of the hard work to make mining pay dividends for Malawians lies ahead — so although this is a relatively new area of partnership, I hope it is one that will endure.”
This is not the first time, High Commissioner Ritchie has talked highly of Malawi’s economic transformation through mining — whose opportunities are huge which are currently being undertaken by foreign investors.
These include at Kayelekera uranium mine in Karonga managed by Australian mining company, Lotus Resources; Kangankunde rare earths mine in Balaka being developed by another Australian investor, Lindian Resources; rare earth deposit in Phalombe with Mkango Resources and Kasiya rutile deposits in Lilongwe.
Kayelekera Mine in Karonga
Kangankunde rare earths mine in Balaka being developed by Australian company Lindian Resources
Mkango Resources, operating at Songwe Hills in Phalombe, also has an extensive exploration portfolio in Malawi, including the Mchinji rutile exploration project, the Thambani uranium-tantalum-niobium-zircon project and Chimimbe nickel-cobalt project.
At the Mining Delivery Lab at Bingu International Convection Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on May 6 — hosted by Mining Minister, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and graced by vice-president Michael Usi — Ritchie said as part of helping to strengthen capacity of government officials and institutions, and caring about Malawi’s future in economic growth, prosperity and development through mining, the UK government supported Malawi’s mining negotiating experts for an executive course on managing mining for national development at Oxford University last year.
Apart from attending the Mining Delivery Lab, Ritchie was also part of the Malawi Mining Investment Forum which President Lazarus Chakwera graced; toured Mkango Resources rare earth deposit in Phalombe and spoke about mining potential at the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (MCCCI) Business Leaders’ Summit.
Ritchie at the Mining Delivery Lab
She described her engagement in this crucial economic sector as “a good sign that the sector is moving forwards”, while taking cognizance that last year’s Mining Delivery Lab “played a big role in smoothing the glidepath for the Mining Development Agreements that were subsequently signed between the Government and two mining companies”.
At the birthday celebration, Ritchie also highlighted energy as another key sector for properity that will drive growth, “although more investment and reform is needed if it is to succeed”.
“That’s why the UK’s development finance intuition — British Investment International — is investing in the Mpatamanga hydropower project, which has the potential to transform energy access for industry and for ordinary consumers.
“I want to see more British companies and investors come to Malawi. That will require Malawi to do its part and make life easier for businesses to set up and operate here across the full economic spectrum — from a more stable macroeconomic environment to business-friendly regulations and tax regimes.”
His Majesty King Charles III
On partnerships, the High Commissioner said His Majesty King Charles III “has put respect and service to humanity at the forefront of his monarchy”, emphasising that: “One of the things that has given me joy has been the diverse range of people who have come through the doors of this residence [at Area 10 in Lilongwe].
“I particularly enjoy bringing together long-standing friends with people who don’t know the UK so well and who might not have been here before. It’s great to see both familiar and new faces here this evening.
“The depth and breadth of the UK’s relationship with Malawi means we have a lot of partners through whom we deliver shared objectives as we cement our ties of friendship. I can’t possibly do them all justice in a short speech but they all matter.
“They matter when we’re talking about our partnership in education where we’ve worked together to deliver the Ministry of Education’s vision for reforming the maths curriculum across all primary schools in the country. If early indications are correct this partnership will double the number of children with basic maths skills by age 10.”
She further gave examples of partnerships that included the relationship with Malawi Defence Force (MDF) in joint training and exchanges, which achieve shared goals in international peacekeeping; and that 10 MDF men and women served at King Charles’s coronation in London in 2022.
The High Commission also “teamed up with the Lake of Stars team last year to help relaunch the legendary festival under Malawian leadership and to help people with an interest in music, culture and arts see a different side to the UK”.
“These are just a few examples of what the partnership between the UK and Malawi means to me – a friendship that has taken many forms over the years and that grows, develops and changes over time.
“Increasingly, it is a partnership between two countries that share not just a long history but many of the same future challenges, such as security and climate change, and many of the same values and aspirations.”
On peace and security, Ritchie highlighted that investors need it most, saying: “Of all Malawi’s achievements since independence, the one that truly stands out to its many guests and visitors is the peace and stability of the nation.
“All of us — Malawians and foreigners living here alike — can attest to how special Malawi’s peace is. It is hard to place a value on peace but certainly easy to undervalue it since it can seem so intangible.
“As a friend, supporter and ally of Malawi, I worry that so many Malawians across all walks of life raise with me their fears of violence marring September’s election. My worry is compounded by the fact that my own country knows the trauma, cost and damage that politically driven violence causes, how quickly it can spill out of control and how long it can take to build back together.
“I am reassured, however, by two observations — first that the overwhelming majority of Malawians I speak to want to continue to live in this peaceful country built so diligently over the past 61 years.
“But also by the fact that since independence, when political crises have arisen, Malawians have pulled together and made the right decisions in the best interests of the country — putting the interests of all Malawians above personal short-term calculations.
“It is the responsibility of all of us who want the best for this country — Malawians and its friends from other countries alike — to make sure our generation continues the path of peace that is such a source of pride to Malawians.
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“If I’ve done my job well tonight, what you will have heard is an honest account of the UK-Malawi friendship from my perspective. But if you only hear one thing, I’d like it to be a message of hope for the future.
“A prosperous and peaceful Malawi is a prize worth struggling for no matter the challenges ahead — and it’s a job for every Malawian, supported by their friends and partners,” concluded the outgoing High Commissioner.
Among the dignitaries at the function were Minister of Basic Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, George Chaponda; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Dr. Nancy Saungweme (Zimbabwe High Commissioner to Malawi) as well as ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from various countries.
