UK Parliament Malawi All-Party Group AGM
18 June 2021
On the 17th June, Westminster’s Malawi All-Party Parliamentary Group was reconstituted, with 15 MPs and Peers (all Scottish!) coming together digitally to elect new position holders.
Patrick Grady (SNP) was re-elected Chair, Lord McConnell (Lab) elected Hon President, and David Mundell MP (Cons), Wendy Chamberlain MP (Lib Dem), Jim Shannon MP (DUP), Anne McLaughlin MP (SNP), Margaret Ferrier MP (Indep) and Chris Law MP (SNP) all made Co-Vice Chairs. 16 MPs and Peers (again mostly Scottish) wished to attend but were not able, passing their apologies.
The Parliamentary Group agreed this year work to:
- Conduct an inquiry into the impact of the DFID-FCO merge and the cut to the 0.7% aid target, on UK development work in Malawi;
- Meet with UK Government Africa Minister, James Duddridge MP, to present the results of this inquiry;
- Understand Malawi’s climate priorities and support Malawi’s representation at COP26;
- Support Malawi’s Covid response and vaccination programme;
- Meet with Scottish Government Minister Jenny Gilruth to discuss the updated Scot Gov development strategy
- Build further links with the Malawi National Assembly and the Holyrood Malawi Cross Party Group
It is hugely inspiring that the majority of all Scottish MPs attended or gave apologies for the Malawi APPG meeting: a clear sign that all-party support is stronger than ever.
Further details to follow.
