By Sellah Singini
LILONGWE-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has hailed President of Botswana, Advocate Duma Gedion Boko for his words of encouragement to Malawians who have gone through a lot in the past five years.
Chakwera said this on Monday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during a joint media briefing conducted by the two presidents at the end of the Boko’s three days state visit to Malawi.
The Malawian leader said Malawi faced a series of challenges, starting with COVID-19 in early 2021, Cholera outbreak in 2022 and a series of cyclones in the past five years.
“Then, they face the loss of half of their food crops due to drought necessitated by El Nino weather conditions in 2024. And even now, as we speak in 2025, there is an Mpox outbreak that is spreading in our borders,” Chakwera said.
Chakwera, however, said he is grateful to God and that, through His grace and through the resilience and the hard work of Malawians, the nation has not relented.
“We are still standing. We are still united and we are still hopeful and one of the graces of God that has helped us to stay on our feet and to stay on track with our focus on development across the country is our good relationship with our friends within the region.
“And I’m proud to say that the Republic of Botswana, its government, its people, have been a shining example in that regard. And I’m grateful that your visit, Mr President, has put all of that solidarity on full display,” he added.
Taking his turn, President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko hailed the relationship between Botswana and Malawi which began in 1966 and has persisted to date.
Boko said the two countries have gone through stages, phases and cycles in their political and economic development.
“We have faced challenges deep and complex. We have had to wrestle with these challenges. We have had to survive in a geopolitical environment. We are stronger today because we have met to deepen the relationship between our two countries,” he said.