UK votes to leave the EU: Malawi advised not to panic

Malawi has been advised not to have sleepless nights over the decision by the United Kingdom (UK) – one of Malawi’s primary donors – to have a referendum on whether to leave or remain part of the European Union (EU).

This comes weeks before the UK holds a referendum to decide to remain or leave the EU.

Experts fear that the UK will not always work with the EU and other EU member states as it used to which in turn will affect the way the UK supports Malawi independently or jointly with other EU member states. Reports indicate that should Britain vote to leave, Scotland will demand another referendum to leave the UK.

Scotland is understood to be the foothold of Malawi’s connection with the UK.

But in an interview with Malawi24, Lilongwe based political analyst, Laudon Malingamoyo Phiri argued that Malawi is not supposed to panic over these latest developments.

While observing that the move would affect Malawi as the UK had been in good relationship with the country way before the EU came about, he said there should be no cause for worry for Malawi stating there could be room for panic only if there were agreements that the UK would help Malawi when she remains part of the EU.

‘’Whatever happens to the relationship between UK and EU I find it hard to suggest there would be divorce in our marriage with UK unless there was a new Memorandum of Understanding stating UK would support Malawi only when she (UK) remains EU member. In fact UKAID has been there independent of EU.”

”Scotland has indicated she wants to be independent of the Union (UK); in fact, if you remember, there was a referendum in Scotland about the same idea. By the way the Scottish rejected the idea; but even if Scotland chooses to exit from the Union; there is no need to panic. In fact, that could be a blessing in disguise because we have a strong tie with Scotland,’’ stated Malingamoyo Phiri.

Asked on whether Malawi as a nation could feel the impact on a nod the UK is likely to make according to reports, Malingamoyo Phiri said:

‘’Candidly, I find no real impact as I stated above. In fact, this could be a blessing in disguise.’’

He added: Why? just think about our relationship with Taiwan. When the then Bingu administration chose China instead of our old friend Taiwan, China wanted to prove she is a better friend than Taiwan by bringing in more support than Taiwan; that could happen with Britain too as our colonial master’’

In its report on Monday, USA Today said that British Prime Minister David Cameron told USA today on Monday that if the United Kingdom were to leave the European Union the move could threaten peace in Europe and negatively affect the nation’s economy.

Cameron said in a speech in London that the U.K. is “better off, safer and stronger” in the EU. Isolationism “has never served this country well,” he said.

Britons will vote on whether to stay in the 28-nation political bloc in a referendum — dubbed Brexit — on June 23.

According to the USA Today, An average of the six most recent referendum polls conducted by What U.K. Thinks, an independent research firm, found 50% of voters would choose to remain in the bloc and 50% would opt to leave.