The Forum focused on three critical sectors for Malawi, which have been identified as drivers of growth and sustainable development—namely agriculture, energy, and tourism. During the three days, the Malawi-EU Investment Forum highlighted the comparative advantage and the potential for EU businesses to invest in Malawi.

The Forum was part of the on-going effort of the European Union in Malawi of Growing Malawi Together (Kukuza Malawi Limodzi) campaign and the EU Global Gateway Strategy.

The Investment Forum was a stepping-stone for the rollout of the Global Gateway EU-Africa Investment Package supports a strong, inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa by boosting the green and digital transition, infrastructure and human development.

The Malawi-European Union Investment Forum provided a dynamic platform for potential investors and project owners to connect. The event brought together government officials and businesses from Malawi with representatives of Team Europe—including EU Member States, European Financial Institutions, and the EU private sector—to align Malawi 2063’s strategic development vision with the opportunities provided by the EU’s Global Gateway.

A key feature of the Forum was testimonials from EU companies already operating in Malawi. These businesses shared their experiences, offering valuable lessons on navigating the local market, building successful partnerships, and achieving sustainable growth. Their stories  provided practical insights into replicating proven models for impactful investment

The Forum was co-organised by the European Union and the Malawi Government in partnership with Malawi’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC).

The Forum represented the largest meeting for investors and businesses in Malawi aimed at attracting investments into the country and strengthening Malawi’s exports, contributing to the partnership between Malawi and the EU.

Through networking and field visits, participants learnt about policy orientations, identified trade and investment opportunities, discussed challenges, developed business and investment strategies, and established durable business partnerships to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in Malawi. .

H.E. Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, officially opened the Forum. High-level representatives from the EU included Ms. Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director General, European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships and Ms. Rita Laranjinha, Managing Director Africa, European External Action Service.

Taking advantage of the presence of these high-level EU officials, the event  featured several key signings:

• Signing of Grant Agreement - Enhanced Energy Policy Performance in Malawi (EUR 770 000).
• An implementation agreement for Strengthening Public Financial and Economic Management in Malawi (PFEM) – Tikuze Malawi (EUR 15 million).
• A ratification of commitment to support the AGCOM 2.0. (EUR 34 million from Team Europe)

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Global Gateway

The EU Global Gateway strategy provides the framework for the EU’s external action. It is the EU’s positive offer to partner countries aiming to narrow the global investment gap with value-driven investments from public and private sectors, support global economic recovery and accompany the twin green and digital transitions outside the EU. Across the world, Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to EUR 300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027 with a mix of grants, concessional loans and guarantees to de-risk private sector investments. About half of the amount is channelled to Africa via the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, worth EUR  150 billion in investments. In Malawi, Global Gateway investments worth at least EUR 1.19 billion go towards accelerating the green transition, sustainable growth and job creation, as well as improving education, vocational training and research.

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