Malawi and Israel established diplomatic relations in July 1964 and have continued relations since. In September 2020, Malawian President
Lazarus Chakwera
Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera (born 5 April 1955) is a Malawian theologian and politician who has served as President of Malawi since June 2020. In addition to the Presidency, he also serves as Defence minister, Minister of Defence per Malawian cons ...
announced that Malawi would open a diplomatic mission in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
.
Banda era foreign policy
Malawi has maintained relations with Israel since 1964. Many African countries suspended diplomatic relations in favor of relations with the Arab states, where oil, trade, and financial aid would be beneficial to them.
[Israel Among The Nations: Africa]
Retrieved November 26, 2012. Malawi under
Kamuzu Banda's foreign policy was one of only three Sub-Saharan African countries (the others being
Lesotho and
Swaziland) that continued to maintain full diplomatic relations with Israel after the
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by E ...
in 1973.
[ Israel has assisted Malawi with a few social and economic development programs.
]
Post-Banda relations
Israel continues a relationship with Malawi on a non-residential basis. In November 2020, Malawi announced that it will become the first African country in decades to open its embassy to Israel in the capital Jerusalem. Malawian Foreign Minister Eisenhower Mkaka made the announcement during a trip to Israel, calling the decision a “bold and significant step.”
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Malawi sent over 220 young workers to work on Israeli farms
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
, with the potential to send up to 5,000. They are being paid around $1,500 per month USD. The deal is viewed by Malawians and Israelis alike a beneficial to both countries, as Malawi faces an economic crisis
An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with th ...
and Israeli faces labor shortage
In economics, a shortage or excess demand is a situation in which the demand for a product or service exceeds its supply in a market. It is the opposite of an excess supply ( surplus).
Definitions
In a perfect market (one that matches a si ...
due to the war.
See also
* Foreign relations of Israel
Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties .
* Foreign relations of Malawi
Malawi's former President Bakili Muluzi continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by his predecessor, Hastings Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Israel-Malawi relations
Bilateral relations of Malawi
Malawi
Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeas ...
Jews and Judaism in Malawi