IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Malawi National Committee of IUCN Members

01 August 2012 | Article

The Malawi National Committee for IUCN has just been established in 2011 from the membership of the Wildlife & Environmental Society of Malawi, the Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust, the Coordination Union for the Rehabilitation of the Environment, the Centre for Environmental Policy & Advocacy, and the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust. With the recent approval given to the latter two to join the network, there were now sufficient members to start-up a national committee.

As there are only NGO members to IUCN in Malawi, a positive meeting has been held recently with the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change & the Environment to initiate the process of state and governmental department agency membership.

The national committee has met regularly and despite the trying economic circumstances in the country, has enthusiasm to work together to motivate change through this small forum. The committee’s primary objective in this formative period is to discuss the priority issues facing the nation and publicise a communiqué on these to influence decision-makers. The committee looks forward to developing cooperation with others in order to develop a more active profile on conservation issues within Malawi.

A major focus of the national committee’s work this first year has been to successfully nominate the candidature of Mr Mafa Chipeta for potential election at Jeju as a Councillor for Africa to the IUCN Council and now to campaign the international membership for his election. This active campaign is ongoing involving meetings in the region by the candidate, email information circulations and website promotion.
The national chairperson has been committed to regional undertakings and the entire membership shall attend the Assembly meeting in Korea, with gratitude to the kind assistance of the regional office.