The just ended four day European Union (EU) delegation visit to Malawi has been dejected with the county’s fast rate of population growth which is contravening developmental agenda for already fragile economy.
The observation comes after EU delegation from five countries; Ireland, Finland, Italy, Spain and Germany toured EU’s projects in Malawi ranging from agriculture, gender , good governance, economic growth, health, environmental management and climate change, infrastructure development.
Upon visiting the country, the delegation held several meeting with Malawi’s Vice President, Saulos Chilima on the Public Reforms’ progress, Parliament, CSOs on political governance, private sectors on economic governance and women groups representatives on gender issues.
Speaking to the press conference in the capital Lilongwe on Wednesday this week, Marchel Gerrmann, EU’s head of delegation and Ambassador to Malawi expressed gratitude for the developmental agenda the country was currently pursuing.
“This is a routine EU delegation visit to its programs in the country aimed at monitoring how our tax-payers money are being channeled to trick down the local poverty. Generally, Malawi is on truck regarding to developmental agenda is being pursed.
“EU wants locals’ welfare be improved for the better than before hence wide rages of programs set in the country which are in line with Malawi government’s development agenda and populace needs”, says Ambassador Gerrmann.
Echoing on the same, Timo Olkkonen, Finland Ambassador based In Lusaka Zambia said Malawi has potential to develop fast with the natural resources available such as fresh water which is prerequisite for intensive irrigation farming.
“Malawi has all it takes to grow very fast only that rapid population growth which is very alarming puts a heavy burden on the already fragile economy whose resources aren’t enough to cater the population. Rapid population growth is suppose to march with economic growth.
“Therefore, drastic comprehensive reproductive health systems measures need to be in place to control rapid population growth for this nation to move forward”, urges Ambassador Olkkonen.
According to National Statistics Office (NSO)’s 2008 Population and Housing Census report shows that the country’s annual population growth rate is at 2.8% such that the current population projection is over 15million people which according to experts is unhealthy to the country’s economic growth
