The Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, will make a three-day visit to Malawi from 16th to 18th February 2016. Mr Mundell’s visit will further promote the strong ties between the UK and Malawi, and the close historical and modern relationship between Malawi and Scotland in particular.
While in Malawi, Mr Mundell will meet staff and partner organisations working to deliver the £80m UK Aid development programme, including those involved in providing the humanitarian response to Malawi’s current maize shortage.
Mr Mundell will also meet a wide range of individuals and groups who contribute to the breadth of the UK – Malawi bilateral relationship, and those involved in promoting ever deeper Scotland – Malawi ties, such as the Malawi- Scotland Partnership. He will also launch the next phase of the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms programme, which has included exchanges with schools in Scotland.
In his engagements with the Malawi Government, Mr Mundell is expected to highlight our close cooperation with Malawi across a range of bilateral, regional and international issues and to encourage progress on the process of wide-ranging reform under the Government of President Mutharika.
David Mundell said:“I am greatly looking forward to my second visit to Malawi. I hope my visit will underline the long standing links that the UK, and Scotland in particular, has with Malawi. I will be promoting the breadth of that relationship, as development partners assisting Malawi with £80 million bilaterally this year, facilitating education, business and institutional relationships, and responding to assist Malawi in times of humanitarian crisis.
“I am looking forward to hearing from the Malawi Government and others about the urgency of broad reforms to move the country from aid to greater prosperity and self-reliance, while demonstrating that the UK, and no more so than the people of Scotland, are proud to stand by the people of Malawi on that journey.”
The Secretary of State for Scotland becomes the most senior UK Government minister to visit Malawi since May 2012 after former Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell.
