Malawi – Flash Appeal – Tropical Storm Ana

In late January 2022, Tropical Storm Ana passed through many districts in southern Malawi, leaving devastation and destruction in its wake. In the aftermath of the storm, over 990,000 people urgently require life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian assistance and protection support, as well as livelihood support to recover from their losses and rebuild their resilience, and access to basic services. It is critical that we galvanize solidarity and support for the most vulnerable people in Malawi who have been hardest hit by Tropical Storm Ana. To this end, this Flash Appeal calls for US$29.4 million for humanitarian partners to target close to 542,000 people.

The appeal aims to mobilize humanitarian action in support of the Government-led response, and is directly complementary to the Government’s own relief efforts. We have worked hard to ensure that this appeal is prioritized and principled, and we are confident that the activities planned are those that are most urgently needed to deliver immediate relief to the people who need it most. In implementing this appeal, the UN and humanitarian partners are committed to ensuring that the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity are fully respected. In issuing this appeal, I am conscious that humanitarian support is not a long-term solution to the recurrent climatic shocks that continue to increase in frequency and intensity in Malawi.

With the global climate crisis impacting countries such as Malawi hardest, intensive efforts are required to ensure that people across the country are able to withstand growing climatic shocks, as well as to tackle inequality and poverty, as highlighted in the country’s National Resilience Strategy. The UN and our partners are fully committed to supporting the Government to build resilience and implement climate resilient development. However, while longer-term efforts to address these extremely complex challenges are vital, we are faced today with an urgent need to act swiftly to save the lives and livelihoods of those whose homes and crops have been upended by Tropical Storm Ana. I therefore call on the international community to show solidarity with the people of Malawi at this extremely challenging time and to stand with us as we step-up our response to this devastating event.