The Government of Norway has announced it will close its embassy in Malawi by the end of July 2027.
This comes as the embassy in Lilongwe was established in 2000.
In recent years, Norway’s development assistance to Malawi has averaged around NOK 500 million annually, with priority areas including health, education, agriculture and good governance.
Announcing the decision on their website, Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide cited the current global security climate.
“We are experiencing the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War. In a world characterised by growing uncertainty and rapid change, we must adapt the Foreign Service to safeguard Norwegian interests in the best possible way.
“Closing an embassy is always a difficult decision, but I must continually assess how we can make the best use of our resources,” Eide said.
Meanwhile, Minister of International Development Åsmund Aukrust said Norway’s support to Malawians will continue despite the closure.
“Norway will continue to contribute to development for the people of Malawi following the closure of the embassy,” Aukrust said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will announce at a later stage which embassies will take over responsibility for managing Norway’s diplomatic relations with Malawi and Zambia.