Malawi to launch Covid-19 recovery plan—Chilima
Vice-President Saulos Chilima says government has come up with the Malawi Covid-19 Socio-economic Recovery Plan that will be implemented to fast track recovery from adverse impact of the pandemic.
He said the plan will come into effect in the next 30 days.
Chilima said this during his opening address at the Old Mutual Partnership Conversation Series on Friday in Lilongwe.
The Veep described the plan as a demonstration of government’s commitment to creating conditions that dampen the impact of the pandemic and facilitating private sector recovery.
Said Chilima: “The recovery plan, which must be supported by everyone, is a calculated strategy to avert the risks which Covid-19 poses in the attainment of Malawi’s national development aspirations.
“It is ideal and proper—and that is the plea from government—that through these partnerships, we indeed need to work together and forge together. No one should be a spectator. We must be allies in this recovery plan.”
He said overall, the recovery plan seeks to enhance the capacity of Malawi and its people to effectively recover and build back better from the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chilima further said will facilitate the transition to the effective implementation and realisation of Malawi 2063.
The Socio-economic Recovery Plan is targeting the implementation of strategic interventions across five inter-linked focus areas, namely building a resilient and sustainable health system, building a resilient and sustainable education system, building a resilient and sustainable social protection system, building a resilient economy and labour market, and building an enabling macroeconomic policy environment.
Chilima then hailed Old Mutual Malawi for initiating a conversation between public and private sectors, saying government regards the private sector as the engine of the economy; hence, its efforts to ensure that there is, an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
In her remarks, Old Mutual Malawi group chief executive officer Edith Jiya said with the pandemic, every aspect of people’s lives remains challenged.
She said: “We continue to count the number of business scars this pandemic continues to leave us with. The economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis will be felt in the fourth quarter of 2021 and beyond.”
United Nations resident coordinator Maria Jose Torres hailed Old Mutual for initiating the conversation between the public and the private sector, saying joining forces is key towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The panel discussion attracted captains of the industry and senior government officials and was held under the theme The Role of Private Sector Towards a Sustainable Recovery Agenda—Post Covid-19 Recovery Plan for Malawi.” Since the country recorded its first case in April 20202, Malawi has lost over 600 000 jobs.
