Norway provides MK8bn in direct budgetary aid to Malawi
Norway Deputy Minister of International Affairs Cooperation Bjorg Sandkjaer has announced a direct budgetary support to Malawi worth MK8 billion.
Speaking at the Ministry of Agriculture, Sandkjaer said Malawi is undergoing difficult situation because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
He said the war has a global impact, especially in African countries.
“Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine has global repercussions, impacting African countries in particular. That is why Norway steps up its support with an extraordinary allocation to assist developing countries who are severely affected by the consequences of this war,” he said.
The Deputy Minister said a year has passed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and that many developing countries are harshly affected by the consequences of the war, which added to an already challenging economic situation.
He said pressure on food production and global supply chains has driven the cost of fertilizer and energy up, resulting in more hunger, more people into poverty and more distress.
The humanitarian needs are record high. The United Nations assess that more than 10% of the world’s population will not have enough access to food. It is within this backdrop, that Norway has allocated extraordinary funds for 2023 to vulnerable populations who are harshly impacted by the global consequences of the war.
“The extra allocation is part of a broader support plan to alleviate suffering resulting from Russia’s war on Ukraine. For Malawi, Norway is increasing its support with 60% (increase of USD 6 million/6 billion Malawi Kwacha) to the agriculture sector for 2023,” he said.
He said the extra allocation under what is being called “south-package” is part of a broader support plan to alleviate suffering resulting from Russia’s war on Ukraine.
He said the support is meant to cushion some of these negative effects.
“We see that the repercussions of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is affecting countries like Malawi the hardest and this extraordinary support is meant to cushion some of these negative effects to support Malawi in lifting more people out of poverty, food insecurity and distress,” said the Deputy Minister.
Receiving the aid, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale commended Norway for the timely support. Kawale said the money will be channelled to farmers who have lost their crops through the Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
“Shortly our team will be deployed to the affected areas for full scale assessment to determine the loss of animals and crops,” he said.
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