Lilongwe, January 28, 2009: Mr. Richard Dictus, is the new UNDP and UN Resident Coordinator in Malawi. Dictus, a Dutch national, presented his credentials to the President His Excellency, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika on January 25, 2009 at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Dictus brings to Malawi twenty years of service with the United Nations with a strong track record in change management – qualities valuable to Malawi as the United Nations System gathers momentum in its reform efforts. In the last four years in a similar capacity in Fiji, he developed several innovative approaches to UN System coherence across 16 Pacific Island countries and 15 UN agencies. Heading the humanitarian effort, he formed the Pacific Humanitarian Team comprising United Nations agencies, development partners and civil society focused on response and rehabilitation following natural disasters and other emergencies, including Tsunami relief in Solomon Islands.


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Lilongwe, 12 November 2008 - UNFPA Malawi on November 12, 2008 joined the rest of the world in launching the State of World Population Report 2008 titled "Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights" in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.

The report emphasises that culture is a central component of successful development of countries, and must be integrated into development policy and programming.


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LILONGWE, 10 November, 2008 – Malawi’s population is now 13.1 million, according to the preliminary results of the 2008 Malawi Population and Housing Census today.

The new figure represents an annual population growth rate of 2.8% for the period 1998 to 2008, or a 32% increase of population. Of the total number of people enumerated 45 percent are found in the Southern Region, 42 percent in the Central Region and 13 percent in the Northern Region, according to Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr. Ken Lipenga.

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Lilongwe, 23 October 2008 - Cities are perhaps one of humanity’s most complex creations, never finished, never definitive. They are like a journey that never ends. They are the physical manifestation of history and culture and incubators of innovation, industry, technology, entrepreneurship and creativity. Cities are the materialization of humanity’s noblest ideas, ambitions and aspirations but when not planned or governed properly, can be repository of society’s ills.

Harmonious Cities, 2008/9 State of the World Cities Report, launched 23rd October 2008

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Lilongwe 15 October 2008 - "This torch must travel the country and this flame must symbolize the hope for millions of women trapped in poverty and unable to enjoy equality in rights, resources, and voice at the household and society level. We must raise the hopes of women in Malawi and keep the flame burning by committing to do something extra."

Esperance Fundira, UN Resident Coordinator a.i.,/UNFPA Representative

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