Events

Michelle Martin, wife and accomplice of child rapist and murderer Marc Dutroux, is dubbed “the most hated woman in Belgium”. About to be released from prison after serving a 16-year sentence, news reports rehash the horrific events that shook the world in the early 1990s. This drama explodes on the stage with a tale of domestic violence that went undetected until it was too late. Based on Kristien Hemmerechts’ best-selling novel.

From 22 to 28 March, Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage, Mr Matthias Diependaele, visited Southern Africa in the framework of Flanders’ cooperation with the region. The Minister first accompanied Their Majesties the King and the Queen of the Belgians on their State Visit to South Africa, before travelling to Malawi and Botswana.

Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage, Mr Matthias Diependaele visited Botswana on 27 and 28 March for a number of high level meetings, including with the President of Botswana, HE Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi. Minister Diependaele also met with several Cabinet Ministers, amongst whom Minister for State President and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Kabo N. Morwaeng, Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Mmusi Kgafela and Minister of Minerals and Energy, Hon. Lefoko Moagi.

On 24-26 March, Flemish Minister Matthias Diependaele visited Malawi, where he met with President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo and Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale, among others, to discuss the main strands of the new programme for international cooperation between Flanders and Malawi. He also visited successful projects, supported by Flanders, of Farm Radio Mw and Ziweto Enterprises Limited, as well as of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

The Government of Flanders earmarks EUR 200,000 in emergency aid for the victims of cyclone Freddy that hit Malawi a few weeks ago. The funds will be transferred to the Red Cross Flanders, which is working closely together with the Red Cross Malawi on the ground. Flemish Minister Matthias Diependaele announced this news during his visit to the country from 24 to 26 March. “Flanders has been active in Malawi since 2007, supporting numerous projects there. With the country being hit very hard again, we want to increase our aid even more. I visited part of the disaster area, and the situation there is horrendous. With our practical help, we can make the lives of many women, children and men a little less hopeless,” said Minister Diependaele.

Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage Matthias Diependaele visited South Africa on 23 and 24 March, accompanied by a sizeable academic delegation from Flanders, which underlined the intense cooperation and academic relations between universities in Flanders and South Africa. The signing of six new agreements between Flemish and South African academic institutions will serve to strengthen existing partnerships.

The Government of Flanders is awarding project grants to two organisations in Tete Province in Mozambique. The projects aim to improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). They are specifically targeted on vulnerable groups and focus on mothers and newborns.

Organisations were selected through a project call in close cooperation with the Mozambican government. The projects are in line with the Country Strategy Paper for Development Cooperation between Flanders and Mozambique 2021-2025.

Mozambique celebrates not only one Women’s Day; they reserve a whole month for women! The “Mês da Mulher” kicks off 8 March on International Women’s Day and ends on 7 April which is the “Dia da Mulher Moçambicana”, or National Women’s Day. In this framework, the Belgian Diplomatic Mission and the Delegation of Flanders in Maputo join other female diplomats in the 'Ambassador for a day' initiative. This activity invites girls, who represent the various provinces in Mozambique, to take over the role of an ambassador for one day.

On 15 February, the General Representative of Flanders in Southern Africa, Geraldine Reymenants and the Deputy General Representative of Flanders in Malawi, Sofie Geerts visited a new animal feed plant operated by Ziweto Agri-Vet shops. Ziweto (livestock in the Chichewa language) was launched in 2013 with the objective of addressing the poor health of livestock in Malawi.

In 2023, the Government of Flanders and UNESCO celebrate 25 years of collaboration. In the framework of that cooperation, Southern Africa is a priority region for implementation of cultural and heritage projects under the Flanders UNESCO Trust Fund. One of those projects, focusing on Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), was launched on 8 February on Ilha de Moçambique, in the presence of the Vice-Minister for Culture and Tourism of Mozambique, HE Fredson Bacar.