08.02.2008
A cross-party delegation of MSPs will visit Malawi’s Chikwawa district, where at least six people died and more than 50,000 were displaced by raging floods last month. The flooding prompted Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to jointly provide £10,000 of emergency relief to those affected.
The visit to Malawi, which is being organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) Scotland Branch, is part of the Parliament’s ongoing commitment to strengthening democracy and the role of the country’s National Assembly.
The delegation, which leaves today, comprises CPA (Scotland Branch) Executive Committee member Karen Gillon MSP, Alasdair Morgan MSP and Sarah Boyack MSP, who were selected by the CPA (Scotland Branch) Executive Committee following an invitation to MSPs to apply.
Although the main focus of the visit will be on strengthening the relationship between the countries’ parliamentary bodies, the delegation will also see, first-hand, work to meet the needs of people suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Delegation lead Karen Gillon MSP said:
“An important aim of this visit is to gauge the success of the relationship in improving the National Assembly’s transparency, accountability and effectiveness.
“This contact will also assist MSPs in making an informed contribution to the Scottish Government’s policies in the area of international development.”
The total budget for the visit is £12,000, which will cover all travel costs, accommodation and incidental costs. The costs will be met from the budget allocated to the CPA (Scotland) Branch by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB). The delegation returns to Scotland on 19 February.
The CPA works in the fields of good governance, democracy and elections, and human rights. The CPA has some 164 branches in 54 Commonwealth countries and a membership of around 16,000 Parliamentarians.