Journalists urged to publicize Malawi2063

Malawi: Grace Kumchulesi, Director of Development Planning at the National Planning Commission (NPC), has urged journalists in the country to play an active role in publicising the Malawi 2063 vision so that the public can understand its objectives and participate in its implementation.

She made the announcement on Friday 1 July 2022 in Lilongwe during a media orientation workshop on the Malawi 2063 First 10 Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1), the Covid-19 Social Economic Recovery Plan (SERP), and the Malawi Secondary Cities Plan (MSCP).

Kumchulesi stated that journalists must raise public awareness about Malawi's 2063 vision if the vision is to be realised.

She said: “Everyone, including the public, has a role to play in the implementation of Malawi 2063, particularly its first-year implementation plan, which we call MIP-1. As a result, in order for the public to fully participate in the implementation, there is a need for journalists to send out messages concerning Malawi 2063 so that the public knows what needs to be done in order for it to be achieved, and they should also understand their role in the implementation of the viability."

She went on to say that the MIP-1, which needs to be fully publicised, aims, among other things, to transform Malawi into a middle-income economy by 2030.

The government, through the NPC, is facilitating MIP-1 implementation with the assistance of its partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In addition, UNDP Resident Representative Shigeki Komatsubara stated that as UNDP, they value the work that journalists do, particularly in disseminating information to the public that promotes the development work that the government is doing in the country.

A good number of journalists from various media outlets attended the media orientation workshop, including The AfricaBrief, Times Group, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Nyasatimes, MIJ FM, Capital Radio, and Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS).

Winston Mwale, Editor in Chief of AfricaBrief, thanked NPC for organising the media orientation workshop in his vote of thanks.

"On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to thank the NPC for organising the media orientation workshop; through the workshop, we gained knowledge that will assist us in effectively disseminating information about Malawi 2063 to the public," he said.

As a result, he urged his colleagues to put their newfound knowledge to use by, among other things, humanising their news reports.