The Government of Iceland has once again shown strong commitment to Malawi’s growth and development, this time by backing the third phase of the Mangochi Basic Services Programme (MBSP), a project valued at K15.6 billion. The initiative is designed to improve service delivery across Mangochi, one of the country’s largest lakeshore districts.
The programme is jointly funded by the Embassy of Iceland and the Government of Malawi. It builds on the success of two earlier phases: MBSP I, which ran from 2012 to 2016, and MBSP II, which covered 2017 to 2025. Over the years, the programme has improved the lives of thousands of people by expanding access to health facilities, improving schools, boosting clean water supply, upgrading sanitation services, encouraging forestry conservation, and promoting economic empowerment for rural families in Mangochi.
The third phase will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028. According to officials, this new stage will not only build on the previous gains but will also focus on ensuring long-term sustainability of services. It will also deepen collaboration across sectors so that education, health, environment, and economic initiatives can work hand-in-hand for the benefit of local communities.
The official signing ceremony took place at the Mangochi District Council offices, where top officials from both countries expressed optimism. Iceland’s Head of Mission in Malawi, David Bjarnason, said the programme reflects Iceland’s long-standing partnership with Malawi, especially in rural development.
“Through the previous interventions, we have uplifted the lives of Mangochi communities in health, education, water, sanitation, and economic development. With this new phase, we want to build on those successes and secure sustainability,” Bjarnason said. He added that Iceland sees Malawi as a reliable partner and will continue to support projects that directly improve the welfare of ordinary citizens.
From the Malawi government’s side, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Esmie Kainja, praised the intervention as timely and necessary. She noted that the Mangochi Basic Services Programme has become a model for how international partnerships can directly touch the lives of rural households. Kainja also stressed that the third phase will help strengthen service delivery systems, ensuring that citizens enjoy better services at the grassroots.
Also speaking at the event, Mangochi District Commissioner, Davie Chigwenembe, pledged full transparency and accountability in implementing the project. He explained that local authorities are determined to make sure that funds and resources are properly used to deliver meaningful results. “The ultimate goal is to improve livelihoods and build resilient communities,” Chigwenembe said.
Mangochi District, which lies along the shores of Lake Malawi, faces unique challenges ranging from population pressure, poor access to basic services, environmental degradation, and limited economic opportunities. Past interventions from Iceland have already led to the construction and rehabilitation of health centres, expansion of classroom blocks, provision of boreholes and clean water systems, and training programmes for smallholder farmers and local entrepreneurs. The third phase is expected to scale up these efforts and make them more sustainable.
Development experts say that the Iceland-Malawi partnership is a good example of how targeted international aid can deliver visible results when properly managed. Unlike some aid programmes that fail due to lack of monitoring, the MBSP has been praised for involving local authorities, community leaders, and ordinary citizens in planning and implementation.
For many families in Mangochi, this project represents more than statistics on paper. It is about children having access to schools, mothers being able to deliver safely at nearby health facilities, farmers gaining support for better harvests, and households accessing safe water without walking long distances. It is also about building stronger communities that can withstand economic and environmental shocks.
As the third phase begins, all eyes will be on how well the programme delivers on its promises. If successful, it could become a model for other districts in Malawi and even other countries in Africa. For now, the partnership between Iceland and Malawi continues to show how cooperation across borders can help bring development closer to the people who need it most.
