Malawi develops Diaspora engagement policy -Chaponda

Malawi Government has developed national diaspora engagement Policy , Minister of Foreign Affairs and International corporation George Chaponda has confirmed to Nyasa Times.

George Chaponda:  Foreign Affairs Minister: Diapora Policy in place
George Chaponda: Foreign Affairs Minister: Diapora Policy in place

Chaponda said the Malawi diaspora has always longed to get involved in the development of their homeland and help  with effective  resource mobilization to develop  the nation successfully..

“Over the years some have organised themselves for social networking but the absence of the formal programme of engagement has rendered such initiatives less effective and unsustainable as their activities have mostly been informal,” said Chaponda.

Chaponda said the Diapora  Policy has been developed with funding from European Union.

He said the Ministry is hoping that with the development of the policy there shall be strengthened partnership and engagement with Malawi diaspora.

On diaspora involvement in the flaming of the policy, Chaponda said Malawians living abroad were involved in the drafting of the policy which will facilitate government effort in diaspora engagement.

However, according to Malawian diaspora discussion group on internet, there were “selective”  engagement in the process of coming up with the policy

Chaponda told Nyasa Times that since its inception in 2014, the work has included consultations, capacity building session “Not only for Ministries and but also for private sector.”

“We conducted consultation meetings with Malawians living in UK, Ethiopia, Belgium, Germany and Ireland,”said Chaponda.

In the policy, the definition of the diaspora according to International Organisation for Migration (IOM) means members of the ethnic and national communities who have left their homelands but maintains links with their homelands.

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Mbuchindele
Mbuchindele
8 years ago

Kkk consultation in uk? U sent an email this year after the policy is already published. Koma chaponda ndi mfitidi eti

Wilbert Mwale
Wilbert Mwale
8 years ago

Malawi our ministers are good at talking but when it comes to implimentation we of policies its a problem I dont know why.

Concerned citizen
8 years ago

I do not see why we do not have tangible progress with our relationship with Zambia and Mozambique interns of foreign policy and economic activity. We have Tete and Chipata which are close. What has been done to ensure we get more trade?

Either the minister has no clue or what is the problem?

chokoto
chokoto
8 years ago

Malawi embassy in Lusaka is a joke. I wanted to renew my sons passport and was told to better go to Malawi. Was told minimum time is 10 weeks. Well, i believed the plump lady who said that because it was only on my third day of going to the embassy office that someone appeared by the reception. Mind you, that is after waiting for close to two hours on each day. Scores of people go there but get no help most of the time. Next to the Malawi embassy is the Botswana embassy. I went in there with a… Read more »

Fabiano
Fabiano
8 years ago

THIS WAS LONG OVER DUE

Thoth
Thoth
8 years ago

It is an absolute joke the way so called ministers in Malawi do their job. Malawi will always be behind on anything. Zambia has introduced dual citizenship and has initiated a project that will help Zambians living abroad to built homes in their own country. imagine how much Forex is getting into Zambia in calendar month. There are so many Professors in fields like Agriculture, Engineering but yet the country struggles to feed its own people, no water and no electricity, what a shame. Dr Chaponda, why are you even called Doctor, you spoke to BBC about making farting illegal… Read more »

LessChildrenPlease
LessChildrenPlease
8 years ago

Zambia has been through this. It is proceeding to conclude the Diaspora Policy after making an amendment to their constitution to explicitly allow dual citizenship. Correct order.

http://www.zambiareports.com/2015/12/20/zambians-abroad-celebrating-dual-citizenship-clause-kalaba

LessChildrenPlease
LessChildrenPlease
8 years ago

Comment #1 highlights the attitude (and policy) problem that is faced.

Kamuzu Banda, Bingu Mutharika and Peter Mutharika all lived and worked abroad for many years.

Your first step Mr Chaponda should be to formalised Dual Citizenship to make participation easier, particularly in business. Have a chat with Saulosi Chilima about it. I know he has a clear view.

Good
Good
8 years ago

Chaponda is a dog. Actually, worse than a dog and no one will listen to him.

MF Jones
MF Jones
8 years ago

Ndimene muthele. Nsanje!!

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