To ask the Scottish Government what information it can provide regarding the Minister for International Development and Europe’s visit to Malawi in October 2016.
I visited Malawi from 7-12 October to deepen the close relationship and partnership between Scotland and Malawi, including reaffirming ties with the Government of Malawi as part of the Programme for Government commitment to renew our historic Cooperation Agreement, and to promote Scotland’s role as a good global citizen through our contribution to international development.
I spoke at the closing session of the Malawi Investment Forum 2016 in Lilongwe where I announced £1 million of Scottish Government funding for investment in Malawian businesses, which will be match funded by private investors, providing £2 million in total to invest in Malawi. This funding marks a new chapter in the Scotland-Malawi relationship and is an opportunity to show how responsible investment can make a fair profit, create jobs, grow the economy and reduce aid dependence.
In Lilongwe I met with the Government of Malawi, Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss continuing to work together to strengthen the relationship between our two governments, to the benefit of both countries, following the consultation on the Scottish Government’s future international development policy. In particular we discussed signing an updated Cooperation Agreement. I also met the Minister for Natural Resources, Energy and Mining to discuss energy in Malawi and reinforce the Scottish Government’s commitment to continuing to support Malawi’s energy access efforts through Scotland’s expertise in renewable energy.
A roundtable event was held for me to meet some of the key representatives working on renewable energy programmes in Malawi, including some involved in Scottish Government funded activity.
At a networking event for Scottish Government funded projects and others hosted by the Malawi Scotland Partnership, the Malawi-led sister organisation of the Scotland Malawi Partnership, which has been funded by the Scottish Government since 2012, I announced further funding for an organisation supporting community-level energy access; Community Energy Malawi to continue, in partnership with University of Strathclyde, their support for Scottish Government funded community energy installations across Malawi.
In Lilongwe, Blantyre and Balaka District I visited a number of projects currently or previously funded by the Scottish Government ranging across health, education, economic development, civic governance and renewable energy themes. This included speaking at a ceremony at the Fistula Care Centre at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe; officially opening the Chance for Change residential youth facility in Lilongwe, which aims to reduce youth reoffending; in Balaka District hearing first-hand about the impact of the current drought and food insecurity crisis in Malawi in a village Christian Aid delivers a project; visiting Mary’s Meals office in Blantyre for a porridge breakfast to coincide with World Porridge Day 2016 and attending the University of Malawi’s College of Medicine in Blantyre to receive the College of Medicine’s Shield of Honour on behalf of the People of Scotland. Scottish Government funding via the Universities of St Andrews, Edinburgh and Strathclyde has supported building capacity and strengthening teaching and learning at the College, helping to increase the number of medical graduates annually in Malawi from 16 to nearly 100.
Visiting Liwonde National Park, I met with the Country Director for African Parks, an organisation that manage Malawi’s national parks in partnership with the Government of Malawi. They maintain a strong focus on economic development and poverty alleviation of surrounding communities in order to ensure that each park is ecologically, socially, and financially sustainable for the long term. The discussion covered the African Parks' model of social investment in tourism, sustainable livelihoods and conservation and the contribution responsible tourism can make to the wider economy.
Overall the visit strengthened diplomatic relations with Malawi; enhanced collaboration with Malawi on economic growth by supporting increased investment; demonstrated Scotland’s contribution to international development through its unique partnership approach based on civil society links; showcased Scotland’s strengths in renewable energy, education, health and economic development; and promoted Scotland as a good global citizen, continuing to make distinctive contributions in addressing global challenges such as climate change, tackling inequality and sharing our knowledge, skills and technical expertise for global good.