Malawi

(asked on 4th March 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken, including provision of any financial support, to help with the humanitarian problems caused by recent floods in Malawi.


Answered by
Baroness Northover Portrait
Baroness Northover
This question was answered on 13th March 2015

DFID Malawi has committed to provide up to £4.1 million to support both emergency response and early recovery efforts. These are funds from DFID Malawi’s 14/15 budget, including contingency humanitarian funds and the use of value for money savings. This is additional to the £3.4m already provided in response to meet the humanitarian needs of the food insecure during the lean season. DFID is working closely with partners to ensure that flooding support reaches those that need it most, in line with the Government of Malawi’s Preliminary Response Plan and coordinated through Government-led structures. No UK funding is channelled through Government of Malawi systems.

UK commitments so far include:

· £1m to the World Food Programme which is supplying 370,000 people with food for the first weeks, including by air to areas cut off by rising waters;

· £665,000 to UNICEF to provide emergency water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to prevent the spread of disease in displacement camps;

· Over £1m through NGO and private sector partners to provide seeds and tools to smallholder farmers whose crops have been damaged by the floods.

· £800,000 through the UN Humanitarian Fund, in support of particular coordination and camp management, nutrition, protection and health activities, plus funds for specialist UN personnel to coordinate the response.

In addition, a number of NGOs have also accessed the Start Fund, a funding mechanism for delivering rapid humanitarian assistance which is jointly funded by the UK and Irish Governments. ActionAid, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide and Save the Children have used £350,000 from the fund to provide vital resources to those displaced by the floods.

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