Global Goals Partnership Agreement between Scotland and Malawi

The Republic of Malawi and Scotland (hereinafter referred to as 'the Parties') desirous to sustain the remarkable network of connections between the two countries built upon by each successive generation for over a century and a half, beginning with the first encounters of the Livingstone Expeditions, strengthened through the seminal influence of the Scottish health and education missions, and confirmed in the signing of the historic Cooperation Agreement in 2005 between Malawi and Scotland thereinafter referred to singularly as "the Party" and collectively as "the Parties";

Article I

Existing areas of cooperation

The Parties are committed to working together to harness the historical links as a powerful tool for development. This is a unique model of international development that has already manifested itself in considerable impact on the ground: in thousands of attended births, widespread energy access for rural areas, a quadrupling of medical graduates, a host of new college and university qualifications, and the engagement of tens of thousands of citizens. In a world where development is often criticised as too impersonal, as disconnected from real needs on the ground, or as enjoying dwindling public support, the Malawi-Scotland model can point the way towards demand-driven development that is rooted in long-term partnerships and built on a history of cooperation and friendship for the wider public in each country to engage with and act on. It is a model that recognises that the Parties live in a world where they increasingly face shared challenges that affect all, in which a sense of global citizenship and solidarity is key to making progress.

Article II

Linkage with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Scotland-Malawi collaboration may be historic, but the advent of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals ('Global Goals') has put it at the cutting edge of modern development. At the heart of these Global Goals is the vision that developed and developing countries will work in partnership to address shared challenges across many spheres, from health and education to governance and social enterprise.

The Parties are therefore committed to realising the vision of the Global Goals, and to doing so through the 150 year old tradition of partnership working. The Global Goals are universal objectives for the whole world, but will in large part be achieved through real people-to-people engagement and grassroots movements for change that leave no one behind. Through the signing of this Agreement, under the final overarching Goal of Revitalising the Global Partnership for Development, we aim to enable our countries to achieve this vision.

Article III

Linkage with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS III)

The Parties are supportive of the successful implementation of both the Government of Malawi's national development agenda as encapsulated in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III (MGDS III) and also the Scottish Government's International Development Strategy as presently detailed in 'Global Citizenship: Scotland's International Development Strategy' published in 2016. The MGDS III covers a period of five years, from 2017 to 2022. The MGDS III takes cognizance of international commitments such as the Global Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063. The MGDS III is configured to domesticate the international agendas at national level. In achievement of the Global Goals, all efforts will be consistent with the Government priorities as well as existing policies and activities in both countries.

The parties have agreed as follows:

Article IV

Commitments towards sustainable development agenda

In working towards these objectives, the parties will ensure that:

• all engagement will be directed towards the achievement of the Global Goals in both countries
• all work will be consistent with government priorities, as well as existing policies and activities in each country
• all engagements will seek to build upon the historic partnership between Scotland and Malawi thereby achieving mutual benefits for the people of both countries
• the two Governments will continue to monitor and meet periodically to formally review progress towards the attainment of the objectives of this Agreement

Building on previous collaborations, both governments commit to achieve the Global Goals by focussing on the following six strands namely: Health; Education; Civic Governance; Sustainable Economic Development; Renewable Energy and Water & Climate, as agreed upon by both Governments. Our resources will therefore be focussed on contributing to the achievement of the following under mentioned Global Goals and associated ambitions, in a manner more fully detailed in the Annex, which Annex may be revised, amended or substituted from time to time by written agreement of the Parties, to this Global Goals Agreement,:

Global Goal 3 – Health and wellbeing

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Global Goal 4 – Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Global Goal 5 – Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Global Goal 6 – Clean water and sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Global Goal 7 – Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Global Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Global Goal 13 – Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Global Goal 16 – Peace, justice and good institutions

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

In focussing on the above Global Goals, both Governments acknowledge the need for all work to contribute towards all of the Global Goals, reflecting their holistic and cross-cutting agenda.

Article V

Further agree as follows:

To continue holding regular consultations on matters relating to economic, political and social cooperation in general and implementation of this agreement and meet under the established framework of the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC), for their mutual benefit to discuss and review the Agreement and all matters pertaining to it during each fifth anniversary year after the signing of the Agreement.

This Agreement supersedes the previous Cooperation Agreement signed by our two governments on 03 November 2005.

To put in place through a separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) which will cover monitoring and evaluation of all financial and technical cooperation programmes between the two countries. This may include: undertaking singular and joint evaluation missions by the representatives of Malawi and Scotland to all Scottish funded programmes in the country.

Article VI

The Agreement and the Annex attached are signed by the Parties, in Edinburgh, on the date below, and may be terminated by either Party through a written notification giving one year's notice.

Article VII

Legal status

This Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of working intent and is not intended to affect in any way the legal obligations and/or rights of either party.

Done in two originals, in English.

His Excellency Professor, Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi

For the Government of Republic of Malawi

Rt. Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland

For the Government of Scotland

Annex to the Global Goals Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Malawi and Scotland

Global Goal 3 – Good health and wellbeing

To work towards training Malawi's next generation of health professionals by capacity building work at the College of Medicine, on projects with a tangible research or training benefit for both countries, and where possible linking into other public health faculties across Africa and Scotland;

To use existing health expertise to understand the value of new treatments or service delivery methods that have the potential for adoption at national level;

To promote evidence based research on major socio-cultural and economic determinants of health that affect the health and well-being of the nation;

To expand comprehensive primary and reproductive health care programmes that ensure that access to primary health care is continued for all populations;

To Increase access to ICT equipment and services in health facilities by enhancing the use of ICT in health care provision;

To improve health campaign initiatives in order to intensify the mobilization of "Health for All" through nation-wide health education campaigns;

To strengthen the prevention and management of infectious diseases such as: Malaria, bilharzia (schistosomiasis), Tuberculosis, Diarrhoeal Diseases, Acute Respiratory Infections, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases;

To promote nutrition education and counselling by providing school health and nutritional services to all including Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Conduct sensitization and awareness campaigns. Provide health and nutritional services in all Community-based Organization (CBO) centres;

To design appropriate programmes to deal with emerging non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Heart Disease, Cancer and other diseases; and

To provide and promote the use of improved and accessible sanitation facilities that are user friendly in all public places.

Global Goal 4 - Quality education

To strengthen links between our education systems and to deepen the mutual understanding of each country's educational policies and practices to improve outcomes, identified in our new Memorandum of Understanding delivering, at local and national levels;

To affirm our joint vision for educational co-operation, promoting professional dialogue, and sharing practice and strategies for educational improvement based on co-operation around topics of common interest in the spheres of curriculum, leadership, quality, performance and scrutiny;

To improve access and equity to Early Childhood Development (ECD) by promoting ECD active feeding and stimulation-learning activities at an early stage for all children;

To improve the quality and relevance of primary and secondary education by reducing class sizes to facilitate more effective learning;

To ensuring the availability of Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM) for all learners including those with special needs;

To proggressively increase the number of qualified and trained teachers and equitably deploying them in schools;

To provide targeted scholarships and loans to needy students in both accredited public and private universities;

To Improve access and equity in skills development training by increasing training centres for skills development in the artisanal, technical and professional fields; and

To ensure that there is equitable participation of women and other marginalised groups in the skills development training

Global Goal 5 – Gender equality

To ensure all our joint-working is consistent with global efforts to secure gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls;

To ensure the effective participation of children, youth and women in decision making processes and development initiatives;

To increase equitable access, control and utilization of Social and Economic services by youth and women;

To promote knowledge and information-sharing on gender equality and women empowerment to all sections of the society;

To undertake leadership training of women, men, girls and boys in decision-making; and

To formulate, enforce and implement laws and policies related to gender based violence.

Global Goal 6 – Clean water and sanitation

To build on the firm foundation of cooperation between our two governments in relation to water governance and management initiatives;

To support the achievement of clean water and sanitation targets under the Global Goals relating to access to clean water;

To increase access to water resources by improving water supply in rural and urban areas;

To construct gender friendly sanitation facilities;

To improve hygienic and sanitation practices by providing and promoting use of improved and accessible sanitation facilities in all public places;

To improve management and disposal of both liquid and solid waste;

To promote community-based management of rural water supply facilities;

To strengthen monitoring and evaluation system for water utilization and management; and

To promote the empowerment of local communities to properly develop and manage catchment areas.

Global Goal 7 – Affordable and clean energy

To build on the collaborative development of a renewable energy strategy for Malawi by helping to deliver programmes and projects which will work towards a vision where all Malawians have access to affordable, clean energy by 2030;

To continue to strengthen links between governments, development partners and businesses in energy, sharing knowledge and expertise and focus on developing innovative energy solutions which can bring benefits to more remote, rural and fuel poor groups in both countries;

To improve access to reliable and sustainable energy electricity supply to key Social and Economic development areas;

To ensure that there is connectivity of electricity to the international power grid;

To improve access to affordable alternative sources of energy by promoting the use of energy efficient technologies and designs;

To enhance the use of renewable and clean energy in the underserved communities; and

To promote sustainable environmental and social management principles in energy development programs.

Global Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth

To support increased responsible investment and the exchange of investment management experience to grow the economy, create sustainable jobs, develop existing businesses and support Malawi on its journey from aid to trade and investment;

To promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; and

To promote employment and decent work for persons with disabilities and albinism.

Global Goal 13 – Climate action

To support urgent global co-operative action in combating climate change, minimising the impacts on the poor and most vulnerable, using rights-based climate justice principles through community driven programmes that improve adaptation and resilience and promote innovation;

To promote climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land and water management;

To harmonise key messages and incentives on climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land and water management;

To strengthen policy operating environment for climate change and meteorological services;

To mainstream climate change issues in sectoral policies, plans and programmes;

To enhance community resilience to climate change impacts by improving the adoption of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures;

To improve access to domestic, bilateral and multilateral climate financing and private sector investments; and

Global Goal 16 – Peace, justice, and good institutions

To share experience, skills and good practices relating to respecting and promoting human rights and our justice systems, with particular attention to criminal justice on youth offending and diversionary programmes;

To encourage, and where necessary to facilitate, intergovernmental exchange of experience and good practice across our two legislatures and governments (at both local and national level);

To share experience of developing and delivering on open transparent government initiatives – including experience from developing and delivering on Open Government Partnership Action Plans gained during Scotland's OGP Pioneer year;

To enhance community integration and participation in promoting a secure, peaceful and crime free environment;

To promote national registration among all citizens and to undertake public awareness on National IDs and Birth and Death Registration across the country; and

To improve the adherence to human rights standards.

Global Goal 17 – Partnerships for the goals

To enable wider popular involvement in the collaboration between our two countries through support for the extensive civil society networks between Scotland and Malawi.

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