Programme Overview
AICC Africa's Governance & Advisory Services programme builds accountability, transparency, and good governance across Malawi's public and private sectors. Through evidence-based research, capacity building, civic empowerment, and multi-stakeholder dialogue, the programme strengthens the systems that hold institutions accountable for public funds and decisions.
The governance portfolio brings together Supreme Audit Institutions, Civil Society Organisations, government agencies, development partners, and citizens, creating the connections and capacities needed for effective accountability. Each project under this programme targets a specific dimension of governance, from public financial management to anti-corruption advocacy.
Programme Approach
- Evidence-Based Advocacy: Generating and disseminating research, policy briefs, and audit follow-up reports that drive governance reform
- Capacity Building: Training CSOs, government officials, and communities on their rights and roles in public accountability
- Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue: Facilitating structured engagement between SAIs, CSOs, government, and citizens
- Gender & Social Inclusion: Mainstreaming gender equality and disability inclusion across all governance interventions
- Partnership Facilitation: Building durable, productive relationships between institutions that strengthens oversight systems
Projects Under This Programme
1 Active ProjectThe CADRE project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France and implemented by AICC Africa. It addresses a critical gap in Malawi's accountability landscape, the absence of structured, effective collaboration between the National Audit Office (NAO) as the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in holding government accountable for public financial management.
CADRE creates the legal frameworks, mutual understanding, and institutional capacity needed for SAIs and CSOs to work together effectively, generating audit follow-up advocacy, civic engagement, and policy reform that improves how public resources are managed in Malawi.
Key Objectives
- Strengthen structured collaboration between the NAO of Malawi and civil society organisations in PFM
- Build mutual understanding of respective SAI and CSO mandates and complementary accountability roles
- Develop legal and regulatory frameworks that support SAI-CSO collaboration in Malawi
- Mainstream gender and social inclusion in all public financial management accountability activities
- Build CSO capacity for effective audit follow-up, advocacy, and evidence-based policy engagement
- Produce and disseminate policy briefs, workshop reports, and advocacy materials on PFM accountability
Key Activities
- Multi-stakeholder workshops bringing together NAO officials, CSOs, and government representatives
- Capacity building training for CSOs on understanding and using public audit reports
- Joint action planning sessions between NAO and CSOs on accountability priorities
- Whistleblower protection webinars and public accountability awareness sessions
- Simplified Auditor General's Report dissemination to CSOs and communities
- Gender mainstreaming training and social inclusion advocacy across all activities
- Monitoring and evaluation of governance improvements and collaboration outcomes