Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)

Press Release

Progress Report on the PRSP

Poverty Reduction has been identified as Government’s overarching objective.  As such, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) will guide all of Government’s activities in the future.  At the core of the PRSP will be a realistic action plan that will be implemented through the annual Budget.  As such, the PRSP is not intended to cover just those resources freed up through debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, but will cover the use of all Government resources, be they from tax revenue, donor support, borrowing or debt relief.

The PRSP represents an opportunity to take stock of the successes and failures of the past and to reinvigorate Government’s poverty reduction efforts.  Past experience has shown that, to be realised, poverty reduction plans must be implemented through the Annual Budget.  Malawi as a Government and as a country cannot afford to do all the things that we would like to do.  To be realistic, the strategy must choose the highest priority activities and fully implement them whilst sacrificing lower priority activities for now.

 On 11^th of January 2001, the Right Honourable Vice President, Mr. Justin C. Malewezi, launched the preparation process for the PRSP.  This Official Launch was followed by a discussion of the overall strategy.  The consensus emerging from these discussions was that the strategy should focus on creating the conditions whereby the poor can generate their own income.  The poor should not be seen as helpless victims of poverty in need of salvation by Government but as active participants in the economy and in the reduction of their own poverty.  As such, issues of micro-enterprise development, access to credit and technical and vocational education were agreed to be crucial.  

Between the 5^th and 16^th of February 2001, members of the PRSP Technical Committee together with a number of representatives from the working groups held workshops in all districts and cities.  These workshops were attended by local Members of Parliament, local councillors, District Chief Executives, planners, traditional authorities, local non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) and others.  The focus of the workshops was to obtain inputs into the overall prioritisation between issues. 

On the 18^th of January 2001, the PRSP Technical Committee launched the work of the Thematic Working Groups, which are responsible for the drafting of the strategy.  Each group will design and prioritise detailed activities to address the challenges within their sector.  The Working Groups have representatives from Government, NGOs, civil society, Parliament and donors. 

Interested organisations and members of the public that have not yet had an opportunity to be involved in the PRSP process are invited to contact the Technical Committee and the Thematic Working Groups for information and to submit written comments.  Where comments address the overall design of the strategy, please contact the Technical Committee.  Where comments address specific issues or sectors, please contact the relevant Thematic Working Group. 

  Dr. Mathews A.P. Chikaonda

Minister of Finance and Economic Planning