MALAWI’S government, amidst prior criticism for sending 221 young people to work in Israel, has unveiled plans to escalate the initiative by dispatching an additional 5,000 youths to engage in farming activities in the country.
Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu defended the decision during an interview with the BBC Newsday programme, asserting that the programme aligns with the government’s efforts to generate employment for young citizens, both domestically and internationally.
Highlighting the historical context of sending young Malawians abroad for work, Kunkuyu emphasised that this practice has been ongoing for decades, aimed at offering opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
However, the move has faced opposition criticism, with Malawian opposition leader Kondwani Nankhumwa expressing concern during a BBC Newsday interview. Nankhumwa accused the government of jeopardising the safety of Malawians by sending them to a nation engulfed in conflict.
In response, Minister Kunkuyu reassured that Israel had provided assurances that Malawian workers would be stationed in secure zones unaffected by the ongoing conflict.
The government’s decision to deploy these workers comes as Israel grapples with a significant departure of more than 10,000 foreign farm workers due to the country’s current state of war.
