Govt Is Slow On Israel Embassy

Despite stating its intention to open a diplomatic mission in Israel, government has not appointed diplomats for the mission.

The development casts doubt on whether the embassy will be launched any time soon.

In a written response on Friday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson John Kabaghe said diplomats heading to Jerusalem are yet to be appointed because government is working on some groundwork.

He said: “The ministry is doing its groundwork to prepare for the establishment of the mission. Since we are doing the groundwork, once finished, government will deploy diplomats accordingly.”

But Kabaghe confirmed that the ministry has so far received funding to facilitate the positing of about 80 diplomats who were appointed several months ago and had been awaiting deployment.

In his maiden State of the Nation Address delivered in Parliament on September 4 2020, President Lazarus Chakwera said Malawi will establish its mission in Jerusalem,

In November 2020, when Malawi’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka visited Israel, he indicated that the mission would open by summer of 2022,

Many countries save for United States of America and Guatamala have their missions based in Tel Aviv.