On 15 November, the fifth bilateral consultation on development cooperation between Flanders and Malawi took place in Lilongwe. This meeting marked the start of the negotiations for the third Country Strategy Paper between Flanders and Malawi for the period 2019-2023.

The current cooperation between Flanders and Malawi in the agricultural sector is highly appreciated by the Malawian government. Therefore, the guidelines of the new five-year cooperation will be based on the principle of continuity. Flanders will continue to focus on developing a sustainable and climate smart agricultural sector to contribute to food security and safety of small-scale farmers in Malawi. The focus will remain on agricultural information, access to inclusive markets, organizing the farmer and sustainable land management.

Flanders will also continue to focus on innovative projects and on cooperation with various partners. Good governance, human rights and gender equality are core values that will run through the various programs as a guiding principles.