On 19th and 22nd August 2025, the Economics Association of Malawi engaged youth representatives from four Malawian universities on the topic of public debt. Representatives from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), Blantyre International University (BIU), the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), and the Malawi School of Government (MSG) participated in the dialogue.
Youth Engagement is part of the initiative led by ECAMA and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), aimed at promoting debt transparency. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and increase transparency in public debt issues to ensure citizens are informed and empowered to hold the government accountable, especially as the country approaches the 2025 general elections.
Each session included an ECAMA presentation on Malawi's public debt status and development. The presentation highlighted how debt levels have changed since the 2006 debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and traced the shift to the current, deemed unsustainable, situation. This was followed by interactive discussions to capture students’ perspectives on the debt situation and explore practical solutions to address the problem. The dialogue also explored the critical roles that the youth can play in holding political candidates accountable for their campaign promises when elected to power.
