Relationship dossier
Malawi
United States
Relationship assessment
A sustained development partnership centered on assistance, health programs and trade cooperation
Malawi toward United States
+30Malawi entered into and implemented a bilateral Millennium Challenge Corporation compact with the United States, cooperating on a major development program focused on energy and related constraints to growth. Malawi has also engaged in U.S.-supported health and development initiatives.
United States toward Malawi
+45The United States provided substantial development and health assistance to Malawi and concluded a large Millennium Challenge Corporation compact with the Malawian government. U.S. support has also included Peace Corps programs and trade access through AGOA.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship has an enduring development-partnership structure, with the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, health assistance, Peace Corps programs and AGOA trade cooperation as major features. These arrangements indicate substantive, sustained cooperation, though the relationship is more development-focused than a close strategic alliance.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Malawi and the United States have a sustained development-focused relationship, including a major Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, health assistance, Peace Corps programs and trade cooperation under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The partnership is substantial but concentrated in development and assistance rather than an exceptionally close strategic alignment.
Key developments
The United States and Malawi signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact focused on constraints to economic growth, including energy.
Malawi completed its Millennium Challenge Corporation compact with the United States.
U.S. health assistance and Peace Corps programs became important elements of bilateral development cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and terms of current bilateral assistance and program implementation are unclear.
- The extent of Malawi’s cooperation with U.S. policy priorities beyond development programs is unclear.