First Minister pledges continued commitment to Malawi

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has re-affirmed the importance to him and to the Scottish Government of Scotland’s relationship with Malawi and promised to continue to support it.

Addressing members of the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) on Monday in Edinburgh City Chambers, Mr Swinney said:

“I want to take this opportunity to make clear to you all – the government that I lead will continue, with your support and expertise, to stand steadfast in our commitment to partners in Malawi and Zambia, and to our principled, progressive approach to international development.”

The First Minister noted that the Scottish Government’s International Development programme will turn 20 next year. The SMP celebrates the cross-party support for our nation’s relationship with Malawi which is reflected in constituencies throughout Scotland, and was delighted that Holyrood’s Malawi Cross-Party Group was represented by its Vice Convener, Sarah Boyack MSP.

Recognising that impactful civic society links with Malawi are thriving in partnerships throughout Scotland, across an array of sectors, Mr Swinney commented:

“With your help, the thousands of links between ordinary Scots and people in Malawi are now stronger than ever. Those connections help every day to change lives and transform communities.”

The First Minister thanked the Scotland Malawi Partnership and its sister organisation, the Malawi Scotland Partnership, for having been “integral” to the strengthening of the bilateral relationship and Scotland’s investment in it, saying: “Through your creativity and dedication, you have nurtured the many and varied civic connections that exist between our two countries.”

Angus Robertson MSP, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary responsible for International Development also attended the event and voiced his commitment to ongoing support for, and close working with, the Scotland Malawi Partnership, Malawi Scotland Partnership, Scotland's International Development Alliance and Scottish Fair Trade as Scottish Government core-funded bodies.

Mr Robertson expressed appreciation for the work of the SMP and MaSP saying:

“One of the strengths of the SMP is its support for its wider membership. A trusted resource bank that both shares knowledge, and learns in turn who is doing what, where and with whom in Malawi. These dual roles encourage collaboration, promote cross-fertilisation and reduce duplication of effort…. My takeaway impression tonight is the sheer scale, variety and breadth of Malawi links in Scotland which the SMP works hard to support, to connect and to celebrate. I have heard you emphasise the benefits that you receive from both your working partnerships and your friendships with Malawians, recognising that when we talk of solving global challenges, there’s a lot that we in Scotland learn from Malawi.”

Mr Swinney told the audience that he had made the difficult decision to postpone a planned trip later this month to Malawi and Zambia, due to domestic matters, but emphasised his intention to visit Malawi in the future, as First Minister.

He stated that Scotland’s international development work would continue to have “the interests of Malawi and its people at its core” and looked forward to working closely with Scottish Civic Society “over the coming months and years, as we continue our efforts in tackling poverty, inequality, and injustice.”

Following the First Minister’s pledge of continued support, brief contributions giving a flavour of the depth and breadth of people-to people links were shared by:

• SMP Vice Chair Susan Dalgety, author of “The Spirit of Malawi” (a copy of which Susan presented to the First Minister) and Advisor to the McConnell International Foundation
• Prof Tracy Morse, SMP Trustee, Professor and Head of Strathclyde Centre for Sustainable Development & Africa Lead, University of Strathclyde
• Dr Yonah Matemba, SMP Trustee, Senior Lecturer & Subject Specialist in Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland
• Prof Jeremy Bagg, SMP Trustee, Emeritus Professor, University of Glasgow, Co-Lead, the MalDent Project
• Mr Kevin Simpson, SMP Trustee, CEO, Malawi Fruits
• Miss Elita Chamdimba, PhD Student, University of Strathclyde, working with the SMP, visiting schools and helping create Malawi-specific resources on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

After speaking with SMP members, Mr Robertson praised the efforts of Scotland's and Malawi's citizens for their impactful collaboration.

The Cabinet Secretary addressed concerns that there is not currently a separate International Development Minister in Scotland, saying:

"I therefore want to reiterate my commitment to leading for Scottish Government on international development, along with my Ministerial colleagues – to build on the proud history of the Scottish Government’s international development work and our commitment to be a good global citizen."

Mr Robertson also paid tribute to the tireless efforts of Dr Peter West who was present and who will retire this November from the position of Malawi’s Honorary Consul in Scotland.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Councillor Robert Aldridge, who is Honorary Co-President of the Scotland Malawi Partnership and who hosted the event, emphasised the two-way nature of the Scotland-Malawi relationship commenting:

“I’ve been privileged to hear moving personal testimonies from our school students in Scotland. They speak of the life-changing qualities of their Malawi links – of their perspective on the world being transformed by resilient, warm-hearted Malawians, who themselves grow. This evokes the essence of the Scotland-Malawi relationship – it benefits the people of both nations.”