By Burnett Munthali
Malawi has officially welcomed a 27-member delegation of military students from the Zimbabwe Staff College, who are in the country for a week-long educational tour focused on regional cooperation in peace and security.
The visiting delegation comprises officers drawn from various defence forces across Southern Africa, underscoring the regional nature of the initiative.
This important educational tour is being held under the theme “Peace, an Enabler of Development,” reflecting the shared vision of security as a foundation for sustainable growth and progress.
The tour is designed to expose the officers to Malawi’s approach to peacekeeping and the strategies employed by its national security institutions to maintain internal safety and stability.
One of the delegation’s major engagements included a visit to the Malawi Police Service Headquarters in Lilongwe.
The students were warmly received by Mr. Dennis Chipao, the Commissioner of Police responsible for Research and Planning.
In his remarks, Commissioner Chipao highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in maintaining peace, stating, “We believe that regional peace and stability can only be achieved through shared knowledge, trust and mutual understanding.”
He emphasized Malawi’s commitment to cross-border security cooperation as a way of securing lasting peace within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Captain Shepard Poswo, who is leading the Zimbabwean delegation, expressed gratitude for the warm reception accorded to his team in Malawi.
He praised the calm and stable environment in the country, noting that peace in Malawi appears not just as a national goal but as a daily reality for its citizens.
“We are impressed with the calm and stable atmosphere in Malawi. It’s clear that peace is not just a goal here, but a lived reality,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Luhanga of the Malawi Defence Force, who is accompanying the visiting delegation, stressed the importance of such initiatives in building bridges among regional security institutions.
He said, “These kinds of initiatives encourage mutual understanding and unity among forces in the SADC region.”
Throughout their stay, the military students are expected to engage with a range of security institutions across the country.
They will participate in knowledge-sharing sessions and explore innovative strategies for promoting peace and security within their respective nations and the broader region.
This visit underscores Malawi’s growing role as a hub for peace-building and regional security cooperation in Southern Africa.
