McConnell calls for Scottish agent in Malawi

Scotland should have its own representative in Malawi co-ordinating its aid effort in the African country, according to former First Minister Jack McConnell.

As the future British High Commissioner in the capital, Lilongwe, he told MSPs in Holyrood's External Affairs Committee yesterday that the level of activity sparked by his initiative in building a special relationship between Scotland and Malawi also required a central point of contact for offers of help in Scotland.

There should be better co-ordination of transporation of supplies to Malawi, as existing arrangements are no longer sufficient to cope with the desire of Scots to contribute. And he argued there should be widened support for older volunteers from the public sector to work in Malawi, while sustaining their pension contributions at home.

Mr McConnell, who has taken on a part-time role working with Malawi for the foundation set up by President Bill Clinton and Scottish philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, said the relationship is not all about Malawians benefiting, but that Scotland is learning from the encounter as well.

The former government leader suggested the unusual relationship between the devolved administration in Scotland and the African state could be used as a model for other parts of Europe.

He said the revival of a relationship going back to imperial links through David Livingstone, missionaries and trading is seen in Malawi as "Scotland's second coming".

Also appearing before MSPs, Malcolm Bruce, the LibDem MP for Gordon who chairs Westminster's International Development Select Committee, said Scotland should not spread its aid effort too widely, but should focus on its "niche".