Government, along with officials from the National Planning Commission (NPC) and civil society organisations (CSOs), underwent a study tour of Zambia to learn from the country’s strides in economic development.

The study tour follows as Vision 2020 was deemed unsuccessful, as plans for Malawi to become a middle income country were far from fulfilled. NPC director general Thomas Munthali announced that the successor document, Vision 2063, is aligned to the Agenda 2063 period and continental aspirations.

During the visit, Zambia’s Department of Development Planning Director, Mulele Maketo Mulele, outlined that coming up with clear priorities and crafting an effective monitoring and evaluation tool are key in the national development planning process.

Council for Nongovernmental Organisations in Malawi Chairperson, Steve Duwa, said the visit would help them to have a clear understanding of the role of civil society in the national development planning process.

Malawi is amidst making new plans while reflecting on failed ones, as business captains and trade experts met last week in Lilongwe, to bang heads on how best Malawi could craft an effective export strategy which could help the country to realise her economic transformation aspirations, following the National Export Strategy (Nes). The five-year Nation Export Strategy (NES) that closed in 2018, has been called a fail, during its review by stakeholders and involved players in the sector. The new strategy which will run from 2019-2022 is thought to have been planned, learning from the prior strategy.