General elections were held in Malawi on May 19th for both President and Parliament. The vote which took place in a widespread atmosphere of calm participation was won by the outgoing President, Bingu Wa Mutharika, who was re-elected.

The young democracy of Malawi, called to express its political vote for the third time since the first multi-party elections were held in 1994, has come through an important test.

Numerous observers from the EU and the Commonwealth were present throughout the country to monitor the regularity of the voting procedure.

On May 21, having completed the duties which had brought them to Malawi, a delegation of observers paid a visit to the DREAM project in Blantyre.

The group was formed by the vice-president of the European Parliament and head of the EU observers delegation, Luisa Morgantini, the European Union’s ambassador to Malawi, Alessandro Mariani and the Irish ambassador to Malawi, Liam MacGabhann.

The visitors were welcomed by personnel and activists who explained the centre’s activities and the work carried out there on a daily basis to welcome and treat the sick, with particular attentionI to the prevention of the virus’s transmission from mother to baby.

Much appreciation was shown for the work being done by DREAM throughout the country and particular astonishment was expressed on visiting the molecular biology laboratory, both for its advanced level of activity and its sophisticated equipment.

The delegation also noted the computer programme used to manage the patients’ records, the activities dedicated to health education and nutritional support, all of such importance to the success of the anti-retroviral therapy.