MALAWI · ECONOMY
Key Facts
- The group The Commonwealth is a club of 56 countries, and Malawi is one of its members.
- What happened Its new Investment Platform, a list of projects seeking funds, shows 115 projects worth US$52.9 billion.
- Malawi’s stake Malawi could export about US$30 billion of minerals between 2026 and 2040, but none are on the list.
- The gap Malawi has three listed projects, all tourism resorts, and the platform has no mining category.
- The picture Africa has 86 of the 115 projects, and 16 projects each cost more than US$1 billion.
The Commonwealth, a club of 56 mostly former British territories, put a US$52.9 billion project list in front of investors at its summit this week, and mining is not one of its categories. Malawi, a southern African country with large mineral deposits, has no mining project on it.
For US readers, the gap matters because critical minerals such as rare earths, graphite and uranium are a priority for the US government and its supply chains. Our guide to Malawi’s role in Africa explains the country’s position.
What the Commonwealth Published
Commonwealth leaders met from Sunday 1 November to Wednesday 4 November 2026 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. The Commonwealth Secretariat, the group’s administrative arm, says the summit produced more than US$500 million in partnership and investment announcements.
The Secretariat’s Investment Platform now lists 115 projects from 28 countries, with a combined project cost of US$52.9 billion. When it launched before the summit it carried more than 60 projects worth about US$30 billion from 20 countries.
Where the Money Is Pointed
Africa accounts for 86 of the 115 projects, and 16 projects each cost more than US$1 billion. Energy has 27 projects and transport has 26, followed by agriculture with 14.
The platform sorts projects into 12 sectors, including health, tourism, water, digital and housing. Mining is not among them, and the Secretariat’s launch notice names energy, transport, agriculture, manufacturing and the green economy as its main fields.
Malawi’s Three Projects
Malawi has three projects on the platform, and one of them is a US$150.5 million resort on Mount Mulanje in southern Malawi. The other two are resorts at Golden Sands (US$180.5 million) and Salima (US$559 million).
Neighbouring Mozambique lists 13 projects, the most of any country on the platform. Malawi’s three entries are all in tourism, so no mine or mining-related project appears.
The Mineral Case
The World Bank, the global development lender, estimates that Malawi’s mining could earn about US$30 billion in exports between 2026 and 2040. That is gross export value, not money for the state budget, and the Bank links it to new energy investment and a stronger tax regime.
The minerals in question are those used in batteries and clean energy, such as graphite, rare earths and uranium. Mining projects usually need power and rail links, which the platform does list for other sectors.
What It Means for You
If you follow critical-minerals stocks listed in the US, Canada, Australia or London, nothing on this list changes any project’s funding today. The signal is that financing for mines still has to be found outside this platform.
Travellers and importers need not change plans. Anyone tracking US efforts to secure rare earths and graphite should watch whether donors and lenders build power and rail in Malawi alongside the mines.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the Secretariat will add mining or minerals-related projects before 2027. Some listed projects are marked as to be confirmed, so the total may change.
The size of private financing that miners in Malawi still need is not published on the platform. The World Bank’s export estimate also depends on reforms and energy investment that have not yet happened.
More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Commonwealth Investment Platform?
It is an online list of investment-ready projects from developing Commonwealth countries. It shows 115 projects in 28 countries with a combined cost of US$52.9 billion.
Does the Platform List Any Mining Projects?
Its 12 sector categories cover energy, transport, agriculture, health and others, but not mining. All three of Malawi’s listed projects are tourism resorts.
How Much Could Malawi Earn From Minerals?
The World Bank estimates about US$30 billion of mineral exports from 2026 to 2040. That is gross export value, not government income.
Which Malawi Projects Are on the List?
Malawi has three, all tourism resorts: Mount Mulanje, Golden Sands and Salima. Together they are listed at about US$890 million.
Sources: Commonwealth Secretariat, Investment Platform, 6 November 2026; Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2026, Day 2 highlights, 3 November 2026; Day 4 highlights, 4 November 2026; Commonwealth Secretariat, launch of the Investment Platform; World Bank, Malawi Economic Monitor, 30 January 2025.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief