Browsing: Malawi

The Southern Africa region. The region’s economy is projected to grow slower than others on the continent due to high inflation, increasing government debt, and slow growth in South Africa. theexchange.africa

AU Heads of State urged to address Southern Africa’s acute hunger

Countries

With more than 14 million people in Southern Africa facing acute hunger, non-governmental organisations are calling on the AU Heads of State to address the issue threatening lives in the region.

The NGOs comprising of Oxfam, CARE, Plan International and World Vision are also calling for the implementation of agricultural policies that will enable people to feed themselves in line with the AU’s Malabo Declaration’s commitment of investing 10 per cent of national budgets in agriculture.

In addition, Southern African leaders are being urged to increase investments in early warnings and early action systems on natural hazards and promote agroecological approaches to transition towards more just and sustainable food systems.

14.4 million people facing acute hunger

Severe food insecurity rates across 9 southern African countries are 140 per cent higher now than in 2018 primarily because people are being hit by weather extremes driven by climate change.

Across the Southern …

US restricts tobacco imports from Malawi over labour abuses

US restricts tobacco imports from Malawi

Industry and Trade

The US restricted tobacco imports from impoverished Malawi over allegations that workers including children were being exploited.

Although Malawi’s total exports to the United States make up only a small part the US move could make it harder selling its tobacco elsewhere leading to anxiety among farmers who fear they might be forced to accept lower prices.

Tobacco is Malawi’s top crop in terms of employment, 60 per cent foreign exchange earnings and 25 per cent tax revenue any trouble the sector runs into could quickly affect the economy.

Tobacco is already confronted with global anti-tobacco campaigns adding more pressure on the tobacco sector in Malawi.

Its troubles began in late October when the British law firm Leigh Day announced it was preparing a landmark class action case against British American Tobacco (BAT) on behalf of 2,000 Malawian farmers, including hundreds of children, for forced labour and poor wages.

BAT, …

Cyclone Idai impact in Mozambique-The Exchange

World Bank raises $700 million for cyclone Idai victims

Africa's Development

The World Bank has increased emergency support for the three Southern African countries affected by a devastating cyclone that killed hundreds in March to Tshs.1.6 trillion ($700 million), the lender said on 3rd May, 2019.

More than 1,000 people were killed across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi after Cyclone Idai, the worst cyclone in decades, lashed the Eastern Indian Ocean coast bringing heavy winds and rains.

New World Bank President David Malpass, who is in Africa for his first foreign trip, toured the affected areas in Mozambican port city of Beira on 3rd May, 2019. The bank said it was activating the International Development Association`s (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW) to provide up to Tshs.1.2 trillion ($545 million) in total for the three countries.

“This is in addition to the nearly Tshs.345 billion ($150 million) in resources that have recently been made available from existing projects. Together, total …