Takulandirani Pamela Fessenden!

Takulandirani Pamela Fessenden!
Welcome to USAID Malawi’s New Mission Director 

Lilongwe – At a ceremony at the USAID Mission in Malawi, Ambassador David Young administered the Oath of Office to Malawi’s new Mission Director, Pamela Fessenden. Ms. Fessenden assumed the role of USAID/Malawi Mission Director in August, 2023. 

As Mission Director, Ms. Fessenden will lead the implementation of USAID Malawi’s Country Cooperation Development Strategy, which is designed to promote a more self-reliant Malawi that is gender-equitable and democratically accountable. She will oversee USAID’s annual budget of approximately $300 million to help Malawi achieve its vision of an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Young spoke highly about Ms. Fessenden’s experience: “Pamela’s leadership at USAID/Malawi comes at a sensitive and difficult time in which Malawians are facing challenges ranging from rising food costs to persistent fuel shortages.  Pamela’s extensive experience in international development, specifically in food security and humanitarian assistance, will help to promote a more self-reliant Malawi that is gender-equitable and democratically accountable. Pamela’s passion for partnerships will also help in strengthening  the United States Government’s relationship with the Government of Malawi, implementing partners, civil society, donors, and the private sector,” Ambassador Young said.

Ms. Fessenden is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, and has served for nearly 20 years with USAID. Prior to arriving in Malawi, Ms. Fessenden served as the Mission Director for USAID Burma from 2021-23. She joined the Burma Mission in 2018 as the Deputy Mission Director before assuming her role as the Mission Director in August 2021. 

Previous assignments include serving as the Director of the Bureau for Food Security’s Markets, Partnerships, and Innovation Office from 2015-18. Other overseas posts include Kenya (Regional Mission), Iraq, Sudan, and Afghanistan, where she served as an officer in Agriculture, Food Security, and Humanitarian Affairs. Ms. Fessenden joined the Foreign Service in 2005. Her foreign languages include Spanish, French, German, and aspirationally, Chichewa.