On 3rd April 2012, the African Development Bank's (AfDB) country office in Malawi held a consultative meeting with stakeholders drawn from several sectors in Malawi on the Bank's long term strategy 2013-2022.

The meeting was co-chaired by Andrew Mwaba, resident representative, AfDB and Efrem Chilima, deputy director, ministry of finance and development planning. The participants comprised of senior officials and heads of institutions from government, civil society organizations, academia, business captains, development partners and other interest groups.

The meeting served to reflect and make recommendations on fundamental issues such as: the key partnerships that the Bank should foster to ensure that the continent's needs are met, the role of the Bank in promoting private sector-led and inclusive growth; and how it can leverage its own resources to meet the increasing need for resources to finance Africa's development.

In his welcome remarks, M. Mwaba reiterated the message from AfDB President, Donald Kaberuka that these consultations come up with bold and creative approaches for addressing Africa's rapidly evolving social and economic challenges, towards its transformation into a continent that is integrated, prosperous, and free of poverty. The co-chair stated that indeed Malawi, and the continent as a whole - faced many challenges and it was crucial to explore policies and approaches from outside the box. He further stated that the Government is finalizing the formulation of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II (MGDS), and in this context the meeting was an opportunity to ensure that the LTS also addresses the needs of Malawians. He further stated the importance of development partners in aligning their strategies to the MGDS.

Contacts

Harriet K. Chikopa