The Government of Iceland has announced an increase in its annual support towards projects in Malawi from $3 million to $8 million.

Speaking during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo in Lilongwe on Monday, Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs Thordís Kolbrún Reykjörd Gylfadóttir said the move is aimed at increasing the impact of the projects on the ground.

Kolbrún Reykjörd and Tembo exchange documents
after the signing ceremony

She said: “Our approach is that we work directly with the society. We haven’t dropped anything but we are increasing, that means that we can expand.”

On her part, Tembo said Iceland’s development cooperation model aims at empowering the most vulnerable communities to sustainably address their challenges.

She said Malawi stands to benefit from Iceland’s tourism sector success.

Said Tembo: “Under the Malawi 2063, Malawi is seeking to diversify its economy by harnessing the huge potential of the tourism industry, particularly in the lakeshore districts of Mangochi and Nkhotakota.

“In this regard, inform that Malawi would like to learn from Iceland’s experience on how it made the tourism industry a major part of its economy.”

Among other districts, Iceland’s support is implemented in Mangochi where the district council has registered an improvement in its ranking from position 27 in 2016 to number 10 out of 28 districts currently in terms of performance.

The bilateral collaboration between the two governments spans over three decades, with Iceland being in Malawi since 1989 during which it has supported Malawi in areas of education, health, women and youth economic empowerment and fisheries.

The new agreement replaces another one that was last signed in 2003.

The aid is aimed at enhancing health, education, youth and women economic empowerment programmes which are implemented directly with grassroots level populations. The Icelandic Foreign Minister is in the country for eight days during which she is expected to attend the official launch of Lilja Fistula Centre in Mangochi funded by the Government of Iceland through United Nations Population Fund, among other engagements.

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