Malawi govt orders 'meddlesome' EU envoy to pack off

Head of the European Union delegation to Malawi, Sandra Paesen has been ordered to leave the southern African nation over what government says is her meddling in its internal affairs.

Local news outlet, Nyasa Times reported earlier this week that the ambassador had been given a week to leave the country.

Malawi had officially written to the EU protesting the involvement of ambassador Paesen in local issues among others joining an anti-rape protest few months back.

The protest was associated with an allegation that police had raped some women in a suburb of the capital, Lilongwe. She asked government to “shed light on what happened.”

NEWS UPDATE: The Head of European Union in Malawi, Sandra Paesen, will leave her post barely a year after assuming the role. Various diplomatic sources have confirmed her departure but there are conflicting reports on what has prompted her departure #NationOnline

— NationOnline (@NationOnlineMw) December 2, 2019

“We want an investigation, (and) we do not want any violence against women in this country or any other country,” she is quoted to have said.

The police says a panel had been formed to probe the incident which was reported by a local NGO that said it had documented instances of sexual assault against policemen.

Paesen is the latest EU envoy to be asked out of an African country. Weeks ago, Benin also expelled the EU envoy over what meddling in internal affairs of the West African country.

Neighbouring Zambia recently also engaged in a spat with the United States ambassador over the jailing of a gay couple.

Daniel Foote said he was horrified by the ruling but Lusaka hit back pointing him to the fact that president Trump’s policy direction was in the direction of pro-family and anti-LGBTI ideologies.

That’s right. #NoToSexualViolence #NoToViolence

eu_eeas juergenborsch koen_vervaekeEU KoenDoens IrlEmbMalawi HollyTett https://t.co/X0bR2yLrIE

— SandraPaesenEU (@SandraPaesenEU) October 25, 2019