The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Malawi needs K3.4 billion for rehabilitation of its structures in foreign missions.

According to the Ministry’s Principal Secretary Bernard Sande, most of the 56 structures that Malawi has abroad are in a dilapidated state.

Said Sande: “We have Malawi government property abroad, unfortunately these properties haven’t been maintained for a long time and most of them are so dilapidated that they are not habitable.”

Sande, who was speaking during a meeting with parliamentary committee on international relations in Lilongwe, added the structures have not been maintained for a long time.

“For that reason, we have started a programme of rehabilitating and refurbishing the properties, unfortunately it’s an exercise that will cost a lot of money.

Indeed, it has not been possible to maintain those property because of funding issues, but as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs we have decided that we need to start whatever we can do within the resources we have we should start,” said Sande.

In his response, the Committee’s Chairperson Patrick Bandawe said the move is a positive development towards maintaining the property.

“We had rumours that our property in the mission is in bad shape and you know these are properties for Malawians.

Let me be frank with you that we are really happy with the report, and we are satisfied with the money that they are requiring for the maintenance of these property,” Bandawe said.

Most of Malawi’s foreign mission structures were built decades ago and are hardly rehabilitated.

Structures to be rehabilitate include those in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Germany, United States and United Kingdom.