Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development needs to be fully empowered to implement results-driven programmes in order to uplift Malawi’s rural livelihoods for sustainable development.
UN resident coordinator Marie Jose Torres, made these remarks when she paid a courtesy call on Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Lingson Belekanyama and Deputy Minister of Local Government Halima Daudi on
Wednesday.
Torres contended that rural livelihoods can register significant improvements only if communities themselves are engaged in collective decision-making on matters that affect them.
“It is for this reason that UNDP has funded councils for the production of Village Action Plans that will later feed into District Development Plans. This is a clear indication that UN wants Malawi developed without living any village behind,” she said.
In his remarks, Belekanyama said government appreciates UN for the support it renders to the country’s social and economic growth, through various initiatives under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
The UN resident coordinator was also accompanied by Shigeki Komutsubara UNDP representative, Rudolf Schewenk UNICEF representative, Clara Anyangwa UN Women Representative and Benoit Thiry, World Food Program.