News

It was with great dismay and sadness that we had to take note of the completely unexpected and much too early death of our Deputy Chairman Dr. Heiko Meinhardt, who passed away on July 4, 2023 after a very short and serious illness at the age of only 57. He had contributed to our latest newsletter just two days earlier.
Heiko Meinhardt was a founding member of our association and was committed and active as Deputy Chairman from the very beginning. He contributed his profound knowledge of the country and personal connections, published political analyses on various platforms and thus also shaped the perception of the German Malawi Association. He had a special connection to the country, not least through his Malawian wife.
This was also expressed by the fact that Heiko Meinhardt was Honorary Consul of the Republic of Malawi for the federal states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for several years and was held in high esteem in the relevant circles.
For our German Malawi Association, his death means a great loss and a gap that can hardly be filled. Heiko Meinhardt leaves behind his wife and daughter, to whom we extend all our condolences.

Our new Newsletter 34 (Summer 2023) has been published and is available for download as a PDF. Older newsletters can be found in the usual place.

Our new Newsletter 33 (Spring 2023) has been published and is available for download as a PDF. Older newsletters can be found in the usual place.

Tropical cyclone “Freddy” has now hit Mozambique and Malawi in particular over the weekend. Freddy is one of the strongest tropical storms ever recorded in southern Africa. At least 11 people lost their lives in Blantyre and 16 were initially registered as missing, but the numbers may still rise. These are only the figures for Blantyre, the storm hit a total of 10 districts, according to the local police.

Malawi is currently experiencing its worst cholera outbreak. More than 1,000 deaths have now been recorded and the infection rate is close to 31,000, more than at any time in the last 20 years. This is according to information from the Minister of Health on January 24th.
There are regular cholera outbreaks during the rainy season from November to March, with the death toll usually around 100.
This time, the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe are the focal points of infection.