APM implores donors on aid
President Peter Mutharika has implored on Malawi’s bilateral donors to consider resuming their budgetary support to Malawi, saying his government has addressed the concerns which got them out in the first place.
In an interview on Tuesday in New York, USA, on what his government was doing to get back donors’ assistance, Mutharika said he does not know precisely what to do any more to get the development partners’ return.
Malawi’s bilateral donors are withholding balance of payment support to Malawi following the discovery end last year of wanton theft of public resources after the attempted murder of former budget director at Treasury, Paul Mphwiyo.
The President said he would have been pleased if the donors, who pulled out their budgetary support, were precise about what exactly they still want to be done by Malawi.
“It is hard to tell what exactly they think. I wish I knew. Their position is not very clear. But what I can say is that we have done everything that they wanted us to do,” said Mutharika.
“If there are new concerns, then we need to be given the clarity so that we are able to know exactly what to do,” he added.
Among the things that government has done in response to the donors’ concerns, Mutharika cited the civil service reforms currently underway, including cutting back on expenditure and using resources prudently.
He added that government is also dealing with Cashgate issues resolutely, by expanding the circle of criminal investigations and prosecutions, shifting around personnel and increasing resources in law enforcement agencies and accountability institutions.
The President said currently his administration will stick to the zero-aid budget without closing doors to the prospects of aid resumption.
“We will move on with the zero-aid budget. But as you know, anything can happen down the road because we will continue to engage the donors,” said Mutharika.
In a separate interview, Mutharika’s chief economic advisor, Collins Magalasi, said it was important for the donors to clarify their position so that Malawi does not waste time groping in the dark.
“This is the position that the president also articulated to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during their meeting,” said Magalasi.
