U.S.-Malawi Military and Security Collaboration

The Malawi Defence Force Air Wing has taken delivery of four ex-United Kingdom Gazelle helicopters,, Defenseweb reported.

Executive Summary:

United States Embassy Lilongwe, Malawi

U.S.-Malawi Military and Security Collaboration

The United States and Malawi enjoy close military and security collaboration. Building on the 2016 Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), cooperation includes joint exercises, training andequipment for Malawi’s peacekeeping battalion, educational exchanges, efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and co-hosting several regional military exercises and events. Reflecting one of the busiest military relationships in southern Africa, in 2016, the United States opened the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) at the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe to coordinate our growing military partnership. Joined by a common belief in the rule of law, the U.S. Mission maintains a strongcollaborative relationship with Malawi’s law enforcement entities.

Strategic Collaboration, Educational Exchanges and Training

Together with the UK, the U.S.-funded Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) assisted Malawi to create its first National Security Strategy. The U.S. African Military Education Program (AMEP) and U.S. Armed Forces Africa helped develop the curriculum for and trainedinstructors for Malawi’s Senior NCO Academy, which recently graduated its fifth class,including students from several nations. Since 2015, under the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, 16 Malawian officers attended courses in the United States on subjects including strategic and tactical intelligence, defense acquisition, HIV/AIDS, Gender- Based Violence, and the Law of Armed Conflict. At the same time, Malawi hosted three groups of U.S. Army cadets with plans to host more later

To boost Malawi security sector skills, the United States sends Malawian law enforcement officers to the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Botswana. Most recently, the

Malawi Police Service sent eight officers to receive specialized skills training in post-explosion investigations, evidence collection, and analysis. In April, several officers from multiple agencies will attend training on border interdiction and interviewing.

Peacekeeping Support

The U.S. DOD uses funds from the State Department-managed Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI) money to train-and-equip previous and current Malawian peacekeeping battalions (MALBATs 1-8) deployed to Cote D’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo.At the conclusion of the current training for MALBAT 9, Malawi will qualify for Full Training Capability, becoming one of the first African nations certified to train its peacekeeping forces to international standards. The United States supports Malawian military forces participation at multilateral exercises, UN staff officer courses, the regional peace support training center in Kenya and AFRICOM/UN workshops to increase MDF proficiency on humanitarian support and protection of civilians, particularly women. In 2017, U.S. peacekeeping funds will support refurbishment of MDF aircraft and construction of a peacekeeping operations warehouse.

High-Level Visits

Since 2012, Malawi has hosted 8 U.S. flag officers or equivalents, including AFRICOM Commander General Ham, USARAF Commander Major General Williams, and new USARAF Commander Major General Harrington. In that time, at least two Malawian general officers have traveled annually to the United States to attend conferences or summits alongside U.S Military leaders. Most recently, General Griffin “Spoon” Phiri, the Chief of the Malawian DefenseForces, presented to U.S. and African military alumni at the Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Multilateral Exercises and Conferences

Since 2013, the United States and Malawi have held three joint and multilateral exercises. The 2013 EPIC GUARDIAN, an interagency counterterrorism exercise, involved more than 700 MDF and 300 U.S Military. In 2014 and 2016, Malawi hosted the SOUTHERN ACCORD

Exercise, the largest military exercise in southern Africa, with over 200 participants from the United States, almost all SADC nations, and several European partners. In May 2017, Malawi will host the AFRICAN LAND FORCES SUMMIT, the largest single gathering of African military chiefs.