Date: Sat, 20 May 2000
Donors Pledge $1.1 Bln to Malawi: World Bank
DONORS PLEDGE $1.1 BLN TO MALAWI: WORLD BANK. Malawi's mainly Western donors yesterday pledged $1.1 billion in development aid to the impoverished southern African country for the next three years, provided it cuts government waste and deepens economic reforms, Reuters reports. "Malawi's external financing needs for the period 2000-2002 are estimated at about $1.1 billion," World Bank country director Barbra Kafka is quoted as saying at the end of a meeting between donor representatives and Malawi leaders in Lilongwe. "Based on the discussions during the Consultative Group meeting, and provided that Malawi strengthens the implementation of its reform program, donor pledges indicate that these requirements will be fully met." The story notes that as the meeting began on Monday, hundreds of protesters demanding that donors soften aid conditions clashed with police, who fired tear-gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. No serious injuries were reported. The World Bank said the financing would take the form of grants and concessionary loans. Twenty-five donor countries and multilateral institutions were represented at the meeting. They urged Malawi to halt the mismanagement of resources that has often thrown previous state budgets into disarray and heavily undermined sustained economic growth. AFP also reports.