The National Planning Commission (NPC) has hinted at revisiting some priorities in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS III). This will be done to align Malawi to the new long-term strategy which will be developed in line with Africa’s Agenda 63.

NPC Director General, Thomas Munthali, announced the above during a National Envisioning Conference for civil society organisations. Munthali said civil society organisations have a significant role to play in the crafting and implementation of national development plans. “At the end of the day, this will be a people’s vision. As NPC, we are not going to be in the office and craft a vision for the country. It is the people who are going to tell us the Malawi they want to see in 2063 and how do they want to see a typical Malawian looking like at that point in time.” he said.

Speaking during the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (Icam) lakeshore conference months ago, guest speaker Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba challenging leaders in Africa, including Malawi, to have a sense of urgency in implementing development plans.

In his speech titled Harmonising Africa’s Resources for Africa’s Development: From Third World to First, Lumumba urged African countries to harness technology, using agriculture as an example, saying that Africa cannot continue to practice agriculture of the continent’s forefathers by using a hoe and a plough. “Agriculture is one of the areas we must focus on” he said.