Malawi Parliament Approves US$130 Million IDA Grant Package

Parliament in Malawi approved two financing bills that authorize the government to receive US$130 million (approximately MK229 billion) in grant funding from the International Development Association (IDA). The grants consist of US$50 million for the Transforming High‑Potential Resilient Value Chains (THRiVE) project, aimed at expanding export‑oriented value chains, improving SME access to finance, and strengthening trade policies. The remaining US$80 million will fund the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD 2.0) project, which seeks to strengthen local government institutions, enhance fiscal decentralisation, and improve public services through performance‑based grants. Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha presented the bills in Parliament and noted that the agreements were signed on 19 June 2026, with the grant funds exempt from taxes and other restrictions under Malawian law.