In a televised address on Wednesday night, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi has announced the suspension of all foreign trips by government officials, including himself, until March next year. This decisive step is to address the country’s economic challenges.
Ministers currently abroad have been directed to return home, and any essential travel during this period requires personal authorization from the president.
To demonstrate leadership by example, President Chakwera revealed a series of austerity measures, including a 50% reduction in fuel entitlements for cabinet ministers and senior government officials.
Criticized for frequent foreign travel, he canceled his attendance at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai later this month.
Addressing the economic crisis, President Chakwera instructed the finance minister to include provisions for a reasonable wage increase for all civil servants in the midyear budget review.
Additionally, he ordered a reduction in income tax on individuals to alleviate the tax burden on workers facing income devaluation.
These measures come as Malawi grapples with fuel shortages, soaring food prices, and a foreign exchange shortage. The recent devaluation of the local currency by nearly 30% against the US dollar, as announced by the central bank last week, underscores the severity of the economic challenges facing the Southern African nation.
