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World Bank tells Malawi: Address concerns to get aid
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By Wanga Gwede, Nyasa Times |
November 3, 2011 · 7 Comments |
The World Bank has made it clear that for Malawi to start receiving budgetary support the Bingu wa Mutharika administration should address concerns about his political and economic leadership.
The donors are concerned about threats to media freedom, governance, deterioarating human rights situations and the “shrinking political space”.
The lender, which is holding back $40 million in budget support, said Malawi should complete the International Monetray Fund (IMF) credit facility programme, to win back donor confidence.
Sandra Bloemenkamp, the World Bank’s manager for Malawi said on Wednesday, addressing concerns raised by the donor community is key for Malawi to get back the aid.
Sandra Bloemenkamp: Address concerns
“The World Bank calls upon the government to Malawi to undertake these needed actions as an important first step towards the resumption of budget support,” a statement by Bloemekamp, who chairs a committee of the donors who normally account for 40% of Malawi’s budget, said.
International donors were also demanding Mutharika government to speed up an inquiry into a July crackdown on anti-government protests in which 20 demonstrators were killed and also an inquest on the death of pro-democrcay university student Robert Chasowa.
“The premium for further delays is increasing day by day and the impact will be severe on the most vulnerable groups,” the bank said.
However, on Wednesday the World Band signed with Malawi government the financing agreements for five new investment and technical assistance projectsthat will seek to support Malawi’s fight against poverty.
The lender said the projects ratified by Malawi parliament and approved by the bank’s board, would be largely designed to improve the livelihoods of Malawian households and businesses.
“In the absence of budget support, the value and timing of project financing is particularly important to Malawi,” the bank said.
The support will help improving access to reliable water and technical assistance projects to the mining sector, to improve transparency and sustainability in the management of the mining sector.
The aid freeze started earlier this year with a diplomatic spat with Britain, Malawi’s biggest donor, caused by a leaked diplomatic cable that labelled Mutharika “autocratic and intolerant of criticism”.
Washington joined in after the July violence, suspending a $350m project to upgrade the impoverished, land-locked state’s decrepit electricity grid.
Combined with a collapse in revenues from tobacco, Malawi’s main foreign exchange earner, the aid embargo has triggered an acute dollar shortage, putting pressure on the kwacha currency and hitting imports of basics such as food and fuel.
Petrol stations are frequently dry, and when they do have fuel, motorists are forced to queue for hours to fill up.
The hardship in evidence on the streets is in stark contrast to the official statistics, which suggest which suggest that Malawi has been among the world’s fastest-growing economies in the last six years.
Much of that performance has been based on a fertiliser subsidy scheme for farmers, although the aid freeze has also thrown that programme into doubt.—(Additional reporting by Reuters)
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Tags: Bingu wa Mutharika, governance, human rights, Sandra Bloemenkamp, World Bank
7 Responses to “World Bank tells Malawi: Address concerns to get aid”
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Zoona mwanayu anadziphetsa chifukwa cha dyera lake osati chifukwa chofuna kuimira aMalawi obvutika. Tiyeni tiyambe kumanena zoona zokha zokha. Mzimu wake uwuse mu mtendere.
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ReplyBorn in this country and knowing the country is rotting to the core makes one want to puke.Sad indeed.Malawi’s economic growth has always been doctored. If it wasnt the benefits would have trickled to an ordinary man in the street.
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ReplyGood writing…
People hear hear …
Dziko lawola chifukwa cha munthu mmodzi amene akuziwona kuti ndiwanzeru kuposa anthu 14,000,000 plus…
God help us deal with this person…
Save us your children from disaster…
And this man and his family in particular…
In the name of Jesus, I pray
Amen.
Well-loved. Like
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ReplyWhen you say Bingu should expidite commision of enquiry into the 20th July demo deaths what do you mean? He is the one who said the police did the right thing by shooting the so called “thugs”, and you expect him to appoint commission of equiry, to do what? That Commission of enquiry will be reporting to him, and do what he wishes, therefore it will be a waste of Government resources and time. God will judge and I believe God will do for us the rightful thing. May their souls rest in peace.
Thumb up for the financial pack for the projects it will take the nation somewhere in the face of the problems we are currently facing.
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ReplyHidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like
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ReplyFor Bingo administration to address the concerns of both local and international communities he better follow the footsteps of late Kamuzu Banda after the pressure he allowed Malawians to raise their voices so for the love of your people Mr Bingo please step down Malawi will never be Malawi with Muthalika administration you are a failer and amurderer
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ReplyChasowa was not pro-democratic. He made noise because he wanted the ten million kwacha promised to him. Had he got it, he would have been part of the govt machinery. Only that the dead are never wrong.
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