Malawi falls short on SDGs progress

By Deborah Madeya: Malawi has ranked 139th out of 167 countries on the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network 2026 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Index, having achieved barely half of the required progress. The report says the country has made zero or negligible progress on SDG 1 on ending poverty, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. It states that 70 percent of the population lives on less than three dollars a day and that much of the rural population still lacks access to proper roads. "This directly undermines agricultural productivity, market access and every other SDG because physical connectivity is the prerequisite for service delivery," the report states. The network has urged the government to ensure adequate financing and make better use of science and data to support sustainable development. However, the report notes that Malawi has made sustained progress on SDG 2 on zero hunger, SDG 3 on good health, SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation. Commenting on the report, National Planning Commission spokesperson Thom Khanje cited policy and budget misalignment, donor dependency and climate shocks as key constraints affecting progress on the SDGs and Malawi 2063. Khanje said the mid-term review of the Malawi 2063 First Ten-Year Implementation Plan (MIP- 1) showed mixed progress. He added that when Malawi undertook its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the SDGs in 2022, the findings showed progress towards meeting the goals. "However, the mid-term review of the MIP-1 and the 2026 VNR show that SDG 3, Good Health, SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 14, Life Below Water have maintained strong performance and are likely to meet the 2030 target if current efforts continue. "The story is different for SDG 4, Quality Education, where performance has been downgraded to moderate progress, while SDG 2, Zero Hunger has reversed from significant progress to no progress," Khanje said. Development analyst Victor Chipofya said Malawi should invest heavily in value addition and promote private sector participation in energy generation to improve progress towards the 2030 targets. "There are a number of economic, social and structural factors that have affected SDG progress in the country, but supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises can help achieve the goals," Chipofya said.

WIRE — By Deborah Madeya: Malawi has ranked 139th out of 167 countries on the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network 2026 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Index, having achieved barely half of the required progress. The report says the country has made zero or negligible progress on SDG 1 on ending poverty, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. It states that 70 percent of the population lives on less than three dollars a day and that much of the rural population still lacks access to proper roads. "This directly undermines agricultural productivity, market access and every other SDG because physical connectivity is the prerequisite for service delivery," the report states. The network has urged the government to ensure adequate financing and make better use of science and data to support sustainable development. However, the report notes that Malawi has made sustained progress on SDG 2 on zero hunger, SDG 3 on good health, SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation. Commenting on the report, National Planning Commission spokesperson Thom Khanje cited policy and budget misalignment, donor dependency and climate shocks as key constraints affecting progress on the SDGs and Malawi 2063. Khanje said the mid-term review of the Malawi 2063 First Ten-Year Implementation Plan (MIP- 1) showed mixed progress. He added that when Malawi undertook its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the SDGs in 2022, the findings showed progress towards meeting the goals. "However, the mid-term review of the MIP-1 and the 2026 VNR show that SDG 3, Good Health, SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 14, Life Below Water have maintained strong performance and are likely to meet the 2030 target if current efforts continue. "The story is different for SDG 4, Quality Education, where performance has been downgraded to moderate progress, while SDG 2, Zero Hunger has reversed from significant progress to no progress," Khanje said. Development analyst Victor Chipofya said Malawi should invest heavily in value addition and promote private sector participation in energy generation to improve progress towards the 2030 targets. "There are a number of economic, social and structural factors that have affected SDG progress in the country, but supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises can help achieve the goals," Chipofya said.

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