LocationsMalawi Launches 2025 Human Development Report Focusing on Artificial Intelligence
June 26, 2025
Honourable Moses Kunkuyu Kalongashawa, Minister of Information and Digitalisation (left), UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Fenella Frost (centre), and Mr. Stephen Mjuweni, Principal Secretary for the Department of e-Government in the Ministry of Information and Digitalisation (right), officially launch the Human Development Report in Malawi.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Government of Malawi, today launched the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) under the theme “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI.”
The event, held in Lilongwe, brought together senior government officials, development partners, representatives of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, private sector leaders, civil society representatives, and the media to deliberate on how digital transformation, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), can drive human development in Malawi.
The 2025 HDR explores the paradoxes and promises of the digital age, emphasising that while AI presents remarkable opportunities for development, it also poses risks if not governed inclusively and ethically. The Report highlights that real development progress lies not just in technological advancement but in expanding human choices and freedoms.
Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Honourable Moses Kunkuyu Kalongashawa.
Speaking at the event, Honourable Moses Kunkuyu Kalongashawa, Minister of Information and Digitalisation, underscored the critical role of digital governance and inclusive technology in shaping Malawi’s future:
"This Human Development Report reminds us: it is not artificial intelligence that will define our destiny, but the real choices we make today. And Malawi is choosing: transparency over black boxes, equity over convenience, and people—not platforms—as the purpose of our progress."
He further emphasised that Malawi is not waiting to catch up with global trends but is crafting a homegrown digital ecosystem rooted in national identity, inclusion, and equity. “Digital trust is not optional,” the Minister stressed, “it is our firewall for democracy, stability, and service delivery.”
UNDP Resident Representative Ms Fenella Frost.
UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Fenella Frost emphasised that as Malawi continues to face the intersecting challenges of climate change, economic pressures, and poverty, investing in human capabilities and inclusive digital systems is both a moral imperative and a strategic priority.
“UNDP is committed to supporting Malawi in crafting AI governance frameworks that prevent bias, protect dignity, and ensure technology serves the public good,” she noted. “We must ensure AI helps a child learn, supports a farmer to adapt, and creates space for women and youth to participate meaningfully in the economy.”
The event in Lilongwe brought together senior government officials, development partners, UN agencies, private sector leaders, civil society, and the media.
The launch also highlighted Malawi’s ongoing efforts to enhance digital public infrastructure, promote inclusive financing through the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF), and leverage AI for real-time decision-making in governance, education, healthcare, and social protection.
Key recommendations from the Report call on countries, including Malawi, to:
1. Build a complementary economy – Instead of replacing humans, AI should work alongside them. Policies should encourage people and AI to collaborate, boosting productivity and supporting decent work. This means utilising AI in ways that generate positive spillovers across the economy, facilitating worker adaptation, and ensuring that no one is left behind.
2. Guide innovation with intent – AI should be harnessed to accelerate science and innovation, not by automating creative processes but by augmenting them. AI innovation can be steered through incentives that embed human agency in AI from design to deployment.
3. Invest in the right skills and support – To thrive in an AI-driven world, people need the right tools and education. AI can help personalise learning and healthcare, but risks such as bias and privacy concerns need to be managed. At the same time, AI can open new jobs that require a human touch.
As Malawi sets its course toward digital transformation, today's launch reaffirmed that technology alone will not determine the nation's destiny. Instead, it is the deliberate and inclusive choices Malawi makes—rooted in dignity, fairness, and opportunity—that will shape a future where every citizen thrives.
The 2025 Human Development Report, “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”, is available for download at: https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf
To explore other formats and languages or access the interactive digital version, visit the official HDR 2025 webpage: https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2025
About UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in over 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, reduction of inequalities, and sustainable development. In Malawi, UNDP supports the government and people of Malawi in achieving their development goals, including the implementation of Malawi 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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