Westminster All-Party Group

The Scotland Malawi Partnership is delighted to offer Secretariat support for the UK Parliament's All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Malawi, as it does for the Malawi Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament.

The Malawi APPG exists to: promote understanding and awareness among parliamentarians; support positive relations between our countries; and provide a forum for discussion on relevant issues affecting politics, society, culture and the economy in Malawi.

The Group brings together MPs and Peers with a particular interest in UK-Malawi relations. While the Group is open to all MPs and Peers across the UK, the overwhelming majority of those involved in the APPG are Scottish MPs and Peers, given the strength of the Scotland-Malawi relationship.

The cost of the SMP’s Secretariat support for the APPG is met from the Partnership’s own unrestricted funds (membership fees, donations, etc), rather than from the core grant received from the Scottish Government. The SMP remains politically neutral and independent of government, while encouraging and supporting continued all-party support for Scotland’s links with Malawi.

The Group was originally founded on the 29th November 2017, and has been formally re-constituted each Parliament since then.

SMP members can be found in every single Westminster constituency in Scotland – Read our detailed MP Briefing report here.

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Leadership:

We are grateful to the following Parliamentarians who have been elected and re-elected as: office bearers. Our particular thanks to Chair, Patrick Grady MP for his leadership.

Chair & Registered Contact: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party)
Honorary President: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour)
Vice Chair: David Mundell (Conservative)
Vice Chair: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat)
Vice Chair: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party)
Vice Chair: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party)
Vice Chair: Chris Law (Scottish National Party)
Vice Chair: Margaret Ferrier (Independent)
Vice Chair: Ms Lyn Brown (Labour)
Vice Chair: Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat)
Vice Chair: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party)
Vice Chair: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party)
Vice Chair: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party)

The SMP provides secretariat to the APPG (not using Scottish Government funding). Interim CEO, Stuart Brown who is ex-officio Secretary was happy to attend.

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2023 AGM:

The 2023 AGM heard from Pacharo Matchere, of Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM). Pacharo, who is a registered nurse from Malawi with over 16 years’ experience in public health, spoke of CHAM’s training of health personnel in Malawi and of the Cholera outbreak in Malawi. Water Aid’s Jenny Wells also addressed the AGM on their recent report (together with the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy) on WASH and antimicrobial resistance: Prevention First: Why clean water and hygiene are best medicine against the spread of drug-resistant infections. More info here.

Past events

Meeting with the President of Malawi, 27th July 2021

A special joint meeting with members of the Westminster Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and the Holyrood Malawi Cross Party Group (CPG) was convened to meet with H.E. Lazarus Chakwera, the President of the Republic of Malawi, while he was in the UK to attend the Global Education Summit.

Malawi APPG Chair, Patrick Grady MP chaired this hybrid meeting in the House of Commons, with a small number of delegates in the room and most joining virtually. Appropriate Covid-19 restrictions were followed by agreement with the House authorities.

Find full details and meeting minutes here.

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Reconstitution/ AGM, 17th June 2021

The Malawi APPG was formally reconstituted on the 17th June 2021. The above position-holders were elected and the above priorities were agreed for the coming year.

The meeting was attended by: Patrick Grady MP [SNP], Allan Dorans MP [SNP], Marion Fellows MP [SNP], Brendan O’Hara MP [SNP], Lord Jack McConnell [Lab], Emma Armstrong [Westminster Foundation for Democracy], Kirsty Blackman MP [SNP], Ian Murray MP [Lab], Chris Law MP [SNP], Brendan O’Hara MP [SNP], Alison Thewliss MP [SNP], Alistair Kidd [on behalf of Steven Bonnar MP], Dovydas [on behalf of Margaret Ferrier MP], Catriona MacDonald, Tamika McAuley-Christopher [Commonwealth Parliamentary Association] and David Hope-Jones [Scotland Malawi Partnership]

Apologies were received from: Philippa Whitford MP [SNP], Douglas Ross MP [Cons], Deidre Brock MP [SNP], Anne McLaughlin MP [SNP], David Mundell MP [Cons], Richard Thomson MP [SNP], Jim Shannon MP [DUP], Douglas Chapman MP [SNP], Alyn Smith MP, John Lamont MP [Cons], David Duguid MP [Cons], Stewart M. McDonald MP [SNP], Peter Grant MP [SNP], Ronnie Cowan MP [SNP], Lord Colin Moynihan [Cons] and Wendy Chamberlain MP [Lib Dems].

Joint Covid-19 Meeting with the Minister of Health, 25th January 2021

The Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group came together for a special joint digital meeting with the Scottish Parliament's Malawi Cross Party Group to look specifically at the worsening Covid situation in Malawi and explore what additional support can be offered by the UK and Scotland.

An unprecedented 250 organisations, key individuals and Parliamentarians (across three Parliaments) came together for this meeting.

Download meeting agenda here.

Download chat log from the meeting here.

The full video of the meeting is available at the bottom of this webpage and HERE

The meeting was addressed by Hon Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, the Government of Malawi's Minister of Health, who updated MSPs and MPs on the latest situation in Malawi (view the Minister's presentation and download the Powerpoint).

The Scottish Government's Minister for International Development, Jenny Gilruth MSP, spoke about Scotland's work to date supporting Malawi's Covid-19 response (view the Minister's input).

We also heard from Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now, part of ‘People’s Vaccine Alliance’, about the advocacy work to try and ensure that Malawi receives timely and equitable access to Covid vaccinations (watch his presentation and download his paper on blockers to vaccine here).

Wider Malawian perspectives were offered by:


- Habiba Osman, the Executive Secretary of the Malawi Human Rights Commission (watch here and download MHRC paper here).

- Dr Matthews Mtumbuka, CEO of UbuntuNet Alliance (watch here); and

- Joyce Juma-Phiri, Chair of the Assoc. of Malawians in Scotland (watch here).

Updates were shared from three (of the many) Scotland-Malawi Covid projects:


- Dr Antonia Ho, (Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow) Healthcare worker study (watch here);

- Prof Mia Crampin (Professor of Public Health at the University of Glasgow) Population Sero-surveillance Study (watch here); and

- Dr Cathy Ratcliff (CEO, EMMS) & Dr Arie Glas (Medical Director, Mulanje Mission Hospital) (watch here).

David Hope-Jones (CEO SMP and Secretary of Malawi CPG and Malawi APPG) summed up the meeting, and suggested actions across parliaments, civic society and governments to respond to what we have heard (watch here - summarised below).

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Joint-Meeting with the Malawi Minister of Health, 28th October 2020

On the 28th October 2020 there was a special joint meeting of the UK Parliament's Malawi All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and the Africa APPG, with the Royal African Society and the Scotland Malawi Partnership.

The meeting included a briefing by Malawi’s Minister of Health, Hon. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda MP, on Covid’s impact in Malawi and the Government’s response since the May election. There followed an open discussion that will cover the health-care response, the economic impact and the potential role for the international community in responding to the crisis.

Hon Chiponda spoke about priorities for future Scottish support on Covid: healthcare workforce, infrastructure & resilience; PPE; WASH and continued education & sensitisation.

Watch the video here.

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Malawi Independence Day: Joint Malawi CPG-APPG Meeting, 6th July 2020

Westminster’s Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group and Holyrood’s Malawi Cross Party Group came together for cross party (and cross Parliament) digital meeting, to mark Malawi Independence Day.

The meeting had four main agenda items:

  1. 23rd June Malawi Presidential Election: With key election observers and analysts in Malawi giving a briefing on the results of the 23rd June Presidential election.
  2. Covid-19 in Malawi: Briefings from Malawi on the impact and spread of Covid-19 in Malawi, and UK-Malawi cooperation to fight the virus.
  3. DFID-FCO Merger: Analysis of the possible impact of the UK Government’s decision to merge DFID with the FCO on the UK’s work with Malawi.
  4. Meeting with Scottish Government International Development Minister: a brief speaking slot and Q&A with Jenny Gilruth MSP
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2020 Annual General Meeting, 10th February 2020

The Group had its first meeting of this new Parliament on the 10th February 2020, formally reconstituting itself at this AGM. New and returning office bearers were elected by the group and the above priorities were agreed for the Group.

Updates were given on recent and forthcoming Parliamentary visits to and from Malawi, and the SMP briefed MPs on civic Malawi links across all 59 Scottish Westminster constituencies.

Dr Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo, an internationally respected and politically neutral Malawian legal and constitutional expert, briefed the Group by teleconference from Malawi on the current political and constitutional situation in Malawi, in which the previous week’s Constitutional Court ruling annulled the May 2019 Presidential election, calling for fresh elections within 150 days.

The Group noted its solidarity with and support for Malawi -its people, government, parliament and judiciary- as it navigates these challenging times. The Group hoped there would continue to be peaceful adherence to the rule of law, as democratic and governance systems are further strengthened in the coming months and years. The Group remains alert to opportunities to work with Malawi as it continues this process, while respecting that this is primarily a domestic matter.

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Meeting launching Visa Report, 16th July 2019

On Tuesday, 16th July 2019, the Malawi APPG came together with the Africa APPG and Migration APPG to launch the joint all-party report from their parliamentary inquiry into the issuing of UK visas for those visiting from Africa.

Read the report here

The report identified a number of serious issues in current policy and made clear recommendations for the UK Government.

At the launch of the report Patrick Grady MP, Chair of the Malawi APPG and SMP member, said:

"There has been clear evidence of inconsistent or careless decision-making and a lack of procedural fairness. All this only serves to discourage people from Africa to come to the UK. Too many now simply don't want to start the visa application process, and everyone is losing out as a result."

The launch was attended by then UK Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes MP, who said:

"It is good to hear when we have got it wrong as this is the best way we can learn and strengthen our systems. If this report helps us to do our job better, then I am extremely grateful for it."

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Meeting with the Independent Chief Inspector of Immigration, 30th April 2019

The Malawi APPG, with the Africa and Migration APPGs, met on the 30th April.

The meeting took evidence from David Bolt, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration as part of the APPGs joint-inquiry on UK visa issuing for those applying from Africa.

The Report from the joint-inquiry will be published at a second event with Minister Nokes on the 16th July 2019.ap

Chief Inspector of Immigration

Meeting with Immigration Minister, 13th February 2019

The Malawi APPG, with the Africa and Migration APPGs, met on Wednesday 13th February in Portcullis House, Westminster, London, as part of the joint Inquiry on UK visa issues for those applying from Africa. This followed a recent adjournment debate led by Patrick Grady MP.

The meeting took evidence from Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, Minister of State for Immigration, and senior officials from the UK Visas and Immigration Department.

Caroline Nokes

Meeting taking evidence for Visa Inquiry, 22nd January 2019

The Malawi APPG, with the Africa and Migration APPGs, met on the 22nd January, as part of the joint Inquiry on UK visa issues for those applying from Africa. The APPGs took evidence from a range of experts and the public, listening to issues experienced by those who have applied for visas from Africa.

Experts included:

  • Iain Halliday, McGill & Co Solicitors
  • Albert Tucker- Director Karma Cola Foundation, Associate at Twin Trading
  • John Davis, Senior Producer the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) 2011-2018
  • Insa Nolte, African Studies Association and University of Birmingham
  • Matt West, Regional Director for Africa at De La Rue

It was a standing room only meeting, with dozens of organisations and senior individuals attending to share their own concerns and issues experienced

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AGM, 10th December 2018

The 2018 AGM of the Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group took place on Monday 10th December 2018 at 1pm in Room B, 1 Parliament Street.

The Group reviewed progress and impact from its first year of operation, discussed priorities for 2019-20, and re-elected office bearers.

The Group was also briefed on the recent Malawi and Scotland: Together for Sustainable Development conference and were given copies of the Conference Report.

Read the minutes of the 2018 AGM here.

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Meeting with the Vice-President of Malawi, 15th October 2018

Members of the Malawi APPG were delighted to meet His Excellency, Saulos Chilima, the Vice-President of Malawi in the House of Commons on the 15th October.

It was an opportunity for the Vice-President to discuss national Malawian priorities with MPs and Peers, and to explore further inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Read more about the Malawi APPG Meeting here.

APPG meeting October 2018

Meeting with the President of Malawi, 17th April 2018

We were delighted to welcome the President of Malawi to the latest meeting of the UK Parliament's Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Tuesday 17th April 2018.

The Group were addressed by The President who spoke warmly of the links with the UK and Scotland and our shared efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

Read more about the Malawi APPG Meeting here.

APPG photo

Meeting with the Chief Executive of CDC, 7th March 2018

The Group held a special video-linked joint-meeting with the Malawi Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament - the first time the two Parliaments have been joined in this way.

The meeting focused on business, trade and investment with Malawi, with Nick O’Donohoe, the Chief Executive of Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC), speaking in Westminster and Bernard Kaunda, the Chief Executive of Mzuzu Coffee, speaking from Holyrood.

Click here to read more.

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Inaugural meeting and AGM, 29th November 2017

MPs and Peers came together to establish the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Malawi, with its inaugural AGM on the 29th November.

It was standing room only, with strong support from all the parties.

Read about the first APPG Meeting.

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Members and supporters of the Malawi APPG include (inter alia)

Photo credit: Above photos of MPs and Peers taken from www.parliament.uk

Disclaimer: This is not an official website of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group.