Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on Friday announced an additional $12.8 million in assistance for Malawi to tackle food insecurity, strengthen anti-corruption efforts and respond to Tropical Cyclone Ana.
“Of the funds announced today, $9.7 million will go towards protecting the most vulnerable Malawians from food insecurity by distributing cash for food, providing support to farmers, and building agricultural supply chains,” USAID said in a statement. “An additional $2 million will support Malawi’s anti-corruption efforts. USAID, in partnership with the United Kingdom, is co-financing a program that supports Malawian law enforcement and the Ministry of Justice in investigative techniques, evidence collection, and prosecution strategy, with a particular focus on asset forfeiture and recovery.”
The government added that “an additional nearly $1.1 million is being provided to support humanitarian response efforts for Tropical Cyclone Ana.”
Tropical Cyclone Ana made landfall in January, generating heavy rains and subsequent flooding across southern Malawi. In the days following the storm, USAID provided an initial $100,000 to meet immediate needs of displaced Malawians with shelter, water, and sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies. This additional funding will support shipping additional shelter materials for families temporarily living in evacuation camps.
“The new funding follows USAID Administrator Samantha Power’s meeting today with Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera where the two discussed mutual priorities, such as combating corruption, strengthening resilience and food security in the face of climate change, the polio outbreak, and continuing the fight to end the COVID-19 pandemic,” the U.S. government agency said.