WDM conference in Glasgow

On Saturday, I co-facilitated a discussion on North-South linkages with Ben Young, Coordinator of Jubilee Scotland. The discussion focussed on developing level fields for interaction between Northern and Southern counterparts.

We looked at a number of levels including government to government and civil society to civil society. I continued to emphasise the need for Scottish partners to look at Malawian partners as equals and not merely objects of charity. We have to get the relationship right. Again, key to this is the need for Scotland to empower Malawians to oversee their own aid and development, particularly by supporting civil society groups to monitor governance.

Later, I also took part in a panel debate called "The Personal vs. the Political", where I made clear that consumerist solutions to global injustices cannot work for Malawi, as we are not consumers, but political beings.