By Clement Manja, Blantyre:
Malawi has intensified efforts to redesign its existing labour export agreements with the Middle East and Asia, as well as the pending deal with Russia to ensure safety of Malawians.
The move aims to ensure that these deals primarily benefit the individuals involved while providing robust legal protections.
A Malawian delegation attending the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo, Egypt, held on December 19-20, disclosed this development.
The summit, intended to bolster trade and economic ties, provided a platform for discussions on the safety of African migrant workers.
While confirming his attendance at the summit to South African news media outlets, Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda did not rule out the possibility of future labour agreements with Moscow.
However, he emphasised that Malawi is currently prioritising the establishment of legal frameworks to protect citizens working abroad.
“We will be reviewing our current labour export agreements, including those with Israel and other nations, to ensure they include necessary safeguards to prevent exploitation,” Chaponda said.
The Alabuga Controversy
Despite widespread concern regarding reports of African citizens allegedly “trapped” in Russian drone-manufacturing facilities, Chaponda claimed the issue was not on the summit’s formal agenda.
Recent media investigations have revealed that African men and women are being lured to Russia with promises of educational scholarships, only to be coerced into supporting the military effort against Ukraine.
Malawi, alongside Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho, have launched investigations to trace and repatriate citizens who migrated under the programmes accused of being human trafficking schemes.
Currently, at least four Malawian women are reportedly at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, a military-industrial complex located approximately 1,000 kilometres east of Moscow, known for producing drones used in the invasion of Ukraine.
While Malawi currently maintains labor export deals with nations such as Qatar, Israel, Oman, and Kuwait, the prospect of adding Russia to this list has been met with significant domestic resistance due to the Alabuga reports.
The majority of those who went to Oman were repatriated last year by the Malawi Government after it was exposed that they are being abused by their employers.
In Russia, two Africans recruited to fight Ukraine through the “Africa Corps” (formerly the Wagner Group), died at the battle front.
A Zambian, Lemekani Nyirenda, and Tanzanian Nemes Tarimo were killed in combat shortly after joining the war to secure their freedom from jail. Both had gone to Russia to study.
“We focused our discussions on developmental challenges in Malawi—specifically food insecurity, fertilizer shortages, fuel, and forex challenges,” Chaponda said, adding that the “trapped girls” issue was not officially raised.
Missed Opportunity
Governance expert Undule Mwakasungula expressed deep concern that the Minister failed to address this critical issue during the Cairo summit.
“Malawi has a constitutional and moral obligation to safeguard its citizens abroad,” he said. “The absence of an official inquiry during such a high-level meeting exposes serious gaps in diplomatic protection and human rights accountability. It raises questions about exploitation, forced labor, and potential human trafficking.”
Mwakasungula added that this situation reflects a concerning pattern across the continent, where external actors exploit African citizens due to a failure in state protection.
Jan Kasunda, a Malawian professional based in China, echoed these sentiments, describing the silence at the summit as a missed opportunity.
“One would expect the concerned African states to demand clarity from Russian authorities to ensure these young people return home or, at the very least, work under humane conditions,” Kasunda noted.
He argued that the situation is a “strong reminder” for underdeveloped states like Malawi to rebuild their domestic economies to prevent citizens from being lured into “greener pastures” that turn out to be modern-day slavery.
Economic Redline
Legal commentator Kawepano Mbale noted the delicate diplomatic position Malawi finds itself in.
He said Malawi is currently struggling with soaring fuel and food prices exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, making imports like wheat and fertilizer prohibitively expensive.
“Our government has the responsibility to protect our youth from induced human trafficking disguised as labor export,” suggested Mbale, questioning the long-term viability of these deals for Malawian citizens in the absence of stringent oversight.
