Malawi for better bilateral relations with Ireland
Government has said it will continue to provide an enabling environment for effective bilateral cooperation between Malawi and Ireland.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emmanuel Fabiano said this Tuesday during a farewell reception for Aine Hearns, outgoing Irish Ambassador to Malawi.
He hailed the Irish government for their continued support it has rendered over the years and has been critical to the development of the country.
“The assistance that Ireland has been providing to Malawi is well targeted as it is aimed at building the country’s resilience to chronic natural disasters, we have been experiencing on a yearly basis due to climate change,” Fabiano pointed out.
The Outgoing Ambassador, Hearns said she is taking leave with a sense of completeness after strengthening 10 years of bilateral relationship between the two countries.
She said Ireland recognizes the many complex factors necessary for development and pledged that her country will continue to be a developmental partner to Malawi.
The Ambassador pointed out that, “Ireland’s strategy will focus on breaking the cycle of annual humanitarian responses by adopting a longer term resilience building approach.
“I am happy that the government of Malawi is at an advanced stage of finalizing a National Resilience Plan, as a key undertaking towards ultimately “Breaking the Annual humanitarian Cycle”. I believe the Irish government added greatly to discussions on these issues over the past three years,” Hearns viewed.
She urged the government to reflect and capitalize on the knowledge gained following last year’s drought.
“I am happy that our neighbourly relationship is strong and vibrant and this will continue to underpin our cooperation into the future, including in support of the new Malawi Growth and Development Strategy,” the Outgoing Ambassador explained.
Government has expressed its commitment in providing a conducive environment for the growth of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Ireland has over the few years been one of the fundamental partners to government in its effort to build the countries resilience to chronic weather.
Malawi has recently faced chronic weather conditions which have resulted in drought and floods, consequently leaving part of its population foodless and homeless.
Governments in response rolled out various programmes to build Malawi’s resilience to these chronic weather conditions to which the Irish government has been a big partner.
In 2017, the two countries signed a K53.8 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU), mainly to be channelled towards the agricultural sector by 2020.
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