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The announcement that Malawi has successfully passed the IMF's first test under the Staff Monitored Programme with Executive Board Involvement (PMB) is a monumental step forward for the nation. The IMF's decision to allocate $174 million under a new 48-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement is not just a financial boost but a vote of confidence in Malawi's economic and governance capabilities.

Malawi is a landlocked country in Southern Africa with a population of about 19 million and a GDP per capita of about $411 in 2020. Malawi faces many challenges in achieving its development goals, such as poverty, inequality, food insecurity, climate change, low productivity, and weak governance. However, Malawi also has many opportunities and potential to transform its economy and society by 2063, the year that marks the centenary of its independence.

In the domain of human rights promotion, it is imperative to address issues that directly impact the well-being and rights of individuals, as well as the broader interests of the public. Therefore, the ongoing extradition case involving Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Prophetess Mary Bushiri warrants such attention, and I urge the Malawi government to critically evaluate its stance on this matter.

President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera's call on the global north to consider writing off debts  could be a kicker and a jewel in the crown for poor countries mainly in the  global south as they quest to untangle themselves from unsustainable debts.

Linda Msiska is a charismatic head teacher at Chipoka 1 Primary School which lies a few miles from the defunct Chipoka Port along shores of Lake Malawi in Salima District.

This is the year of the Lord 2023. In 2025, just after next year, this country will once again go to the polls to elect a President, Members of Parliament (MPs) and other duty bearers. As is always the tradition, the political temperatures are beginning to surge.