Speeches Shim
Nine members of one of southern Africa’s most prolific wildlife trafficking syndicates were sentenced on July 20 to a total of 56.5 years’ prison time. The seven Chinese and two Malawian nationals were arrested in a series of coordinated raids in May last year. Each was found guilty of at least one wildlife trafficking offence relating to possession of pangolin, rhino horn, ivory or hippo tooth, all of which are derived from listed or protected species. Two individuals are the first non-African nationals to ever go to prison. All Chinese nationals are to be deported following their sentences. Sentencing of the ring-leader is anticipated in several months.
Total of MK2.03 Trillion (~US$2.7bn, with $2.0bn for recurrent budget and $700m development budget). It has a deficit of K651bn (~$868m) to be financed from domestic and foreign borrowing. Farm Input Subsidy Program targets 900,000 beneficiaries with subsidized inputs and 100,000 others to get free inputs at a total cost of K38bn (~$51m). Agriculture development allocated K45bn ($60m). Covid-19 Urban Cash transfer Initiative (CUCI) will target 172,337 households in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba Cities. Each household will get K35,000 (~$47) per month for six months starting from June. National Food Reserve Agency and Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) allocated K10bn ($13.3m) and World Bank to provide another $8.4m for maize grain purchases.
Through a collaborative effort between ONSE, HC4L and LGAP, District Health Promotion Officers, District Information Officers and Community Health Officers will be brought together in regional meetings to review status of coordination of COVID-19 Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities and partners at district level, including successes, areas for improvement and lessons learned from ongoing implementation in line with national response plans and strategies. The Ministry of Health’s frequently asked questions and information materials have been updated and will be disseminated.
On February 24, the U.S. government funded Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Nutrition in Malawi supported the release of Malawi’s first official national food composition table. The table describes the nutritive value of 316 locally produced and imported foods commonly consumed in the country. It captures information for 42 nutrient components, of which the source of data for 63 percent is information generated from local analyses of foods. Since May 2016, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural resources has worked hand in hand with South African Food Data System (SAFOODS) to develop the Malawian food composition database through an extensive process of research, data gathering, and compilation, using the methodology endorsed by international organizations such as INFOODS and FAO.
During their recent tour to southern Africa, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Malawi where they engaged in a variety of field visits. Among the site visits, HRH Prince Harry visited a health clinic that is using one of USAID’s “pharmacy-in-a-box” storage facilities. A joint project between USAID and DFID, the project was launched in response to a Ministry of Health assessment that found that over 77 percent of Malawi’s health facilities lacked adequate storage space for health commodities. Over the course of the joint project, 115 units were installed in 2016, and then in 2018/19 an additional 238 units were installed, 117 of which are off-grid and solar powered.
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