By Shaffie Mtambo
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s leading civil society organizations have called on government to strengthen the proposed National Economic Recovery Plan (NERP), warning that the country cannot afford another ambitious policy framework that fails to deliver meaningful results for ordinary citizens.
The concerns were raised by the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) during a consultative meeting on the draft NERP held at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on June 3, 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the wider civil society community, Bertha Lipipa-Phiri, Executive Director of MEJN, said while the draft plan presents a largely accurate diagnosis of Malawi’s economic challenges would benefit from stronger prioritization, financing realism and implementation safeguards.
Lipipa-Phiri noted that Malawi has previously implemented several economic recovery and development frameworks, making it important for the new plan to draw lessons from past successes and failures.
She said economic recovery is not only about identifying the right interventions but also understanding why previous plans achieved limited results and how those lessons can strengthen implementation and accountability.
According to the civil society organizations, the draft NERP correctly identifies key challenges facing the country including unsustainable public debt, foreign exchange shortages, high inflation, food insecurity, weak export performance and fiscal distress.
However, NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe observed that the document combines short term stabilization measures, medium term reforms and long term transformation goals without clearly indicating which interventions should be prioritized first.
Kondowe said the recovery plan would be significantly strengthened by incorporating clear annual milestones, measurable benchmarks and realistic assumptions to guide implementation and monitor progress.
The civil society leaders also expressed concern over the plan’s ambitious economic targets including projected GDP growth of 6.5 percent by 2030, lower inflation and a significant reduction in public debt levels.
While acknowledging signs of recovery, Lipipa-Phiri cautioned that Malawi’s economy remains fragile despite recent improvements. She said the country is beginning to see positive results from ongoing reforms but much work remains to be done before sustainable stability is achieved.
On public spending, Kondowe questioned proposals to allocate MK5 billion annually to each constituency alongside dedicated funds for youth, women, sports and arts, warning that such commitments could place additional pressure on already constrained public finances.
The civil society organizations further emphasized the need for government to accelerate debt restructuring negotiations, strengthen debt management systems and promote greater transparency in public borrowing arrangements.
Lipipa-Phiri also called for stronger accountability mechanisms including publication of major contracts, independent audits, public expenditure tracking and citizen monitoring systems to reduce corruption and improve confidence in public institutions.
Lipipa-Phiri and Kondowe said the success of the NERP should ultimately be measured by its impact on people’s lives through improved food security, job creation, stronger public services, export growth and meaningful poverty reduction rather than the ambition of its targets alone.
