Update: The United States Department of State has formally opened the application process to implement its new health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Malawi. According to a June 10 notice on Grants.gov, the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy is offering up to $35 million annually for projects under the Advancing Global Health initiative. Think Global Health reports that this agreement is part of a broader American foreign policy shift to transition away from traditional direct aid toward jointly financed bilateral health agreements.
In regional trade news, the United Nations Development Programme convened government officials, financial institutions, and private sector representatives in Lilongwe on June 10 to validate the country scan for a new multi-nation trade project. According to the UNDP, the five-year initiative aims to help women and youth entrepreneurs overcome cross-border barriers and participate actively in the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.
The trade project is co-implemented with the International Trade Centre and the COMESA Federation of Women in Business, focusing on expanding access to finance and improving the local trade environment. During the validation workshop, Director of Trade Charity Musonzo stated that the Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism is committed to turning its regional trade obligations into real economic opportunities for Malawian business owners, the UNDP reports.