Join us as we welcome Fiona Ritchie, British High Commissioner to the Republic of Malawi & Helen Lewis, British High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique on Wednesday 14th of June from 14:40-15:40 BST.
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Join us as we welcome Fiona Ritchie, British High Commissioner to the Republic of Malawi & Helen Lewis, British High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique on Wednesday 14th of June from 14:40-15:40 BST.
Malawi:
Malawi’s economy has been significantly weakened by a series of exogenous shocks and persistent macro-fiscal imbalances. Growth is projected to decline to 0.9% in 2022, from 2.8% in 2021, with lower agricultural output, erratic electricity supply, forex shortages affecting importation of raw materials and high global commodity prices. Economic growth is projected to slightly increase in 2023 but remain subdued. The economic recovery is projected to be gradual and significant risks remain.
Malawi continues to rely on subsistence, rainfed agriculture, which limits its growth potential, increases its susceptibility to weather shocks, and creates food insecurity. Trade policies and an unpredictable business environment continue to impede investment and commercialization, as well as erratic electricity supply.
Public investment has been low and of mixed quality. Weak fiscal management and economic policies have contributed to recurring and large fiscal deficits, mostly funded by high-cost domestic borrowing and resulting in a surge in public debt. Together with external shocks, economic management choices have compounded the acute balance of payments crisis, which needs addressing urgently for Malawi to realize its economic and development potential.
Ms Fiona Ritchie was appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Malawi in June 2022 and took up her appointment in August 2022, having previously served as the Development Director in the same country.
After the merger of the FCO and DFID, Fiona became the Deputy Director, Review of Independent Commission for Aid Impact. Prior to that, she had a long and varied career in DFID, including Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for International Development and Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Africa
Fiona originally joined DFID in 2002.
Mozambique:
The country is endowed with ample resources of arable land, water, and energy, as well as mineral resources and newly discovered natural offshore gas; three deep seaports; and a relatively large potential pool of labour. It is also strategically located: four of the six countries it borders are landlocked and hence dependent on Mozambique as a conduit to global markets. Mozambique’s strong ties to the region’s economic engine, South Africa, underscore the importance of its economic, political, and social development to the stability and growth of southern Africa as a whole.
The economy is recovering from the protracted slowdown in recent years, with growth reaching 4.4% in the first half of 2022. Mozambique experienced its first economic contraction in nearly three decades in 2020, with an additional 250,000-300,000 urban people pushed into structurally high poverty levels. It is estimated that overall, more than 60% of people live in poverty and more than one million people have been displaced by the conflict in Cabo Delgado.
The medium-term economic outlook is positive, with growth expected to accelerate to 6% over 2023-2025, driven by continued recovery in services, increased LNG production, and high commodity prices. Downside risks remain. The uncertain global recovery, the war in Ukraine, the low levels of human capital, and the country’s vulnerability to climate disasters, risk further limiting Mozambique’s options for diversifying sources of growth.
Ms Helen Lewis was appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique in October 2022.
Helen worked as Head of DFID South Sudan from May 2019. Before going to Juba she was Deputy Director for the Gulf and Iran in the National Security Secretariat and Head of DFID’s Gulf Team. As a Senior Conflict Adviser, Helen was posted to Yemen, South Sudan and Pakistan and worked in conflict policy roles. She later took up the post of Head of Rule of Law for the British High Commission Islamabad.
Helen joined DFID in 2008 having led international comparative learning at University of Ulster’s International Conflict Research Institute and worked for international NGOs.
