Former Minister of Information in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, Symon Vuwa Kaunda, has urged the government to employ information attaches in its foreign missions to help in mobilizing resources for survivors of natural disasters.
Kaunda stated that information attaches could play a critical role in presenting to the developed world correct information about the catastrophes that are befalling Malawi, including the magnitude and type of assistance needed.
The Nkhata Central lawmaker made the sentiments in parliament on Thursday in his contribution to the 2023-2024 National Budget.
And in an interview after the parliamentary session, Kaunda observed that some multilateral and bilateral partners are not forthcoming to assist because the embassies are not giving them the right information about the disasters in Malawi.
“I really commend the efforts the government, under President Chakwera, is undertaking to mobilize the resources. But I am not impressed with the contribution our embassies in developed countries are making to complement their national efforts,” he said.
“I believe that more development partners would have come to assist us if we have trained journalists employed as information officers in our embassies because they would be presenting the information as accurate and correct as it should be. This is unlike now where people who have no background in journalism have been improvised to write press statements in our embassies,” added Kaunda.
The Minister of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu, said he had taken note of the suggestion and that his ministry would engage other relevant ministries on how they can actualize it.
“A response was given by the Minister of finance to the effect that we need to look at this noble call together with the plans that are there in the ministry of foreign affairs in terms of staffing in our foreign missions. I will engage the Minister of finance and the minister of foreign affairs for a continuation of the conversation on this topic,” said Kunkuyu.
