Question reference: S5W-22329
- Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 21 March 2019
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Current status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 2 April 2019
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contact it has had with the Malawi Government following the recent cyclone, and how it can encourage people to support the relief effort.
Answer
In light of the recent catastrophic weather events the Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development has written to the President of Malawi to offer condolence and support on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Scottish Government officials are routinely in contact with the Malawian Government, as part of our long-established Partnership. Most recently, there has been contact with the Malawian High Commissioner to offer our support, in response to which the Malawian Deputy High Commissioner expressed thanks for the Scottish Government’s timely assistance.
The Scottish Government encourages its implementing partners in Malawi to keep in regular contact with Government of Malawi officials. In relation to the recent events, partners have attended local coordination meetings called by the Government of Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs.
Since the launch of the DEC appeal in Scotland, the Scottish Government has continued via social media to publicly highlight how people can donate to the DEC appeal. The Scottish Government also core funds the Scotland Malawi Partnership, a networking organisation which supports civil society links between Scotland and Malawi, who are disseminating information to their members, including fundraising efforts to support Malawi.