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This insights brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) examines the role of urban informality in building equitable resilience in cities across southern Africa and the Global South. It argues that while informality is often invisible or viewed as a challenge, it provides critical services, livelihoods, and innovation that can enhance urban resilience if harnessed through inclusive governance and partnerships.

Sunbird Tourism, the largest hospitality provider in Malawi, faces significant operational barriers including high taxes (specifically a 1% tourism levy and a turnover tax), difficulty accessing international finance, and infrastructure deficits in electricity and water. While the company leverages local pension funds for finance and internal training to address a shortage of senior Malawian management, it continues to struggle with high costs associated with backup utilities and the loss of import tax incentives.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies addresses two distinct regional security issues: a renewed border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi triggered by oil and gas exploration, and the urgent need for security sector reform in Côte d'Ivoire following sporadic attacks by armed groups.

The research paper argues that violent protests in Malawi were a symptom of an economic crisis caused by growth without productive investment. Despite aid and debt relief, the government focused on consumption and subsidies rather than supply-side constraints, leading to a rising trade deficit, foreign exchange shortages, and a failure to develop human capacity, leaving 70% of the population in extreme poverty.

This report chapter details the development of anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) frameworks in Malawi between 2004 and 2006. It outlines the legislative struggle to pass the Money Laundering, Proceeds of Serious Crime and Terrorist Financing Act 2006, the regulatory measures introduced by the Reserve Bank of Malawi, and the systemic challenges facing enforcement, including limited police capacity and the absence of a national identity system.

This report presents the results of Malawi's first National Crime Victimisation Survey, conducted between May and July 2003. The survey of 6,861 respondents reveals that while violent crime is relatively uncommon, property crimes—specifically crop and livestock theft—are prevalent and closely linked to food shortages and poverty, termed 'crimes of need'. The document also examines public perceptions of safety, the performance of the police and courts, and the role of community-based security groups.

This research paper examines the profiles, motivations, and attitudes of prisoners in Malawi. It analyzes the influence of family background, education, and socio-economic status on offending, while categorizing the primary drivers of crime—such as alcohol use, poverty, and peer pressure—and evaluating the perceived effectiveness of the prison system in terms of rehabilitation and punishment.