Mutharika welcomes new British envoy Leigh Stubblefield, Ready to embrace UK’s “donor-to-investor” strategy

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The President Peter Mutharika on Monday, January 12, 2025 welcomed new British High Commissioner to Malawi Leigh Stubblefield.

President Mutharika welcomed Stubblefield and her team after receiving her letters of credence at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe.

The Malawi leadership therefore expressed gratitude for the new envoy whose mission particularly is to invest in Malawi including mining and among others.

“You are welcome to Malawi; please feel free,” Mutharika said after held a closed-door discussion with envoy covering several key issues.

Addressing the media, High Commissioner Stubblefield reaffirmed United Kingdom’s shift from traditional donor support to an investment-led development approach in Malawi while underscoring a policy already guiding bilateral engagement.

Stubblefield disclosed that the approach aims to reduce long-term aid dependency by supporting job creation, trade expansion and resilient economic growth while gradually cutting overall aid spending.

The “donor-to-investor” strategy is being implemented through the UK’s development finance institution, British International Investment and aligns with wider objectives on climate change and migration.

Stubblefield is the first envoy to present letter of credence to Mutharika after his second comeback to power after September 16, 2025 elections.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.