The signing of Financial Cooperation Agreement at the Capital Hill in Lilongwe on Tuesday was graced by Jurgen Borsch, Germany's Ambassador to Malawi. According to Borsch, the financial aid is connected to the commitments that were agreed upon during the bilateral negations held last October 2016.
Borsch furthered that the Republic of Germany is in the same page with Malawi in terms of putting much importance in the improvement of education and health systems and also, emphasizes the formation of improved jobs and revenue in the rural areas.
He said, "Today we have laid a cornerstone for our further cooperation in the areas of basic education, primary health services, social protection of the ultra poor and private sector development in rural areas."
Based on Germany's bilateral agreement with Malawi, the former devoted to provide its support to Malawi with 101 million Euros (equivalent to Mk78.6 Billion). Hence, the 45 million Euros granted on Tuesday was already part of the deal.
Aside from the said support for the health and basic sectors, the Republic of Germany has also given the country 4 million Euros to respond and solve the emerging problem of hunger the country is recently battling with.
"Malawi also benefits from Germany's one world - no hunger initiative and under this programme, money amounting to 16 million Euros were set aside for Malawi. But looking at the situation facing the country as a result of el Nino, we have decided to add another 4 Million Euros making the total to 20 Million Euros," Bosch added.
In an interview, Goodall Gondwe, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, said that the support given by the Republic of Germany to Malawi is timely. He even added that with the funds provided by Germany, the improvement in both education and health sectors can already be foreseen.
Gondwe said, "We are grateful to the Germany government for the financial assistance particularly the social cash transfer programme which has seen more rural Malawians being economically transformed.
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