Ireland’s Minister for International Development and the Diaspora, Neale Richmond, is expected to arrive in Malawi for high-level engagements with the Malawi Government and to appreciate the impact of Irish Aid programmes in the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda confirmed Richmond’s visit in an interview with The Daily Times.
“Yes, he is arriving tomorrow [Wednesday] and we will hold a bilateral meeting,” Chaponda said.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Richmond said Ireland values its partnership with African nations and remains committed to deepening cooperation on the continent.
“Ireland has a long history of partnership across Africa and we have seen these links strengthen in recent years.
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“A stronger Ireland- Africa and a stronger EU-Africa relationship is in all of our interests. We are committed to building relationships across the continent in the years ahead and to maximising the impact of our embassy network on the continent,” Richmond added.
He said Ireland remains committed to supporting poor and vulnerable communities through development assistance while expanding political and trade ties with African countries.
“Our commitment to providing development assistance to the poorest countries and communities remains steadfast and our political and trade links are growing,” he said.
Richmond further said Ireland currently has 14 embassies across Africa, including 12 in sub- Saharan Africa, as it seeks to strengthen engagement with the continent.
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On Malawi, he said Ireland’s presence in the country has contributed “significantly” to humanitarian and development programmes since the opening of its embassy in Lilongwe in 2007.
“I look forward to seeing first-hand the impact our Irish Aid programmes are having on the lives of Malawians, especially those facing the challenges of hunger, malnutrition and the impact of climate change in their daily lives,” he said.
Richmond said his itinerary includes visits to an irrigation scheme and a nutrition screening clinic in rural Malawi.
“I will also meet a range of Irish Aid partners working on agriculture, food security and the fight to end malnutrition, especially among children,” he added.
Ireland says two-way trade between the country and African nations is steadily growing and now stands at about €9 billion annually.
