Tag Archives: 79th UN General Assembly

Malawi

Chakwera back from UNGA: Urges citizens to embrace unity, hardworking spirit

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Elia Chibwe and Gift Chiponde

LILONGWE-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has emphasised the need for unity among Malawians for the country to fulfil it’s developmental transformative agenda, highlighting the importance for all Malawians to embrace hard work for such a milestone to be fulfilled.

The President made the remarks on Saturday while addressing a parade of citizens who welcomed him at Area 18 in Lilongwe on his return from the United States of America where he attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

President Chakwera highlighted the importance of embracing patriotism among citizens stating that Malawi is for everyone regardless of people’s affiliation urging citizens to fairly exercise their freedom and continue respecting the values of democracy.

He then urged Malawians to continue respecting the country’s constitution which he said is the pillar for respecting human rights adding that elected leaders deserve respect.

“The laws of the country allow people to choose people whom they want to govern,” said President Chakwera.

Richard Chimwendo Banda Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture who is also Malawi Congress Party’s Secretary General, said President Chakwera’s led administration is committed to continue embracing democracy by allowing other political parties to exercise their political freedom without intimidation.

Chimwendo Banda also urged people in the country to refrain from violence stating that violence retards development for a country like Malawi.

Malawi, Regional

Chakwera concludes UNGA trip, returns home with dividends

MaraviPost

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has left the USA after attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

President Chakwera departed for Malawi through Dulles International Airport on Thursday, October 3.

Account to Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ communication Chakwera will be home on, Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The plane carrying the President is expected to land
at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in the capital Lilongwe at 15:45 hours.

While in New York, the President attended several meetings that included, the Summit of the Future and the high-level meeting on the Miombo Forest Declaration ahead of the General Assembly debate.

In his address during the General Assembly debate, the Malawi leader presented a case for UN Security Council reform, lobbying for not only inclusion of Africa in the Council but also veto powers. He also mobilised global support for Malawi’s developmental priorities.

The Malawi leader while in USA also held bilateral discussions with other heads of states and governments of Lativia, Ireland, and Kenya among others.

Chakwera also had special meetings with leaders of International organisations such as the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres and investors among others, to continue advancing Malawi’s diplomatic relations and economic partnerships.

Accompanied by his Mozambican counterpart, Dr. Fillipe J. Nyusi, the Malawi leader also hosted the second Malawi Partners Conference 2024 which brought together prominent global figures and investors who discussed the future and long lasting food security issues.

The conference was attended by, among others, African Development Bank (AFDB) president, Akinwumi Adesina, who announced the grant of MK95 billion to Malawi of which MK1 billion is meant for the purchase of food for people affected by hunger through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

After the general debate of the Assembly, the President met up with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and USAID heads at their respective headquarters where he lobbied for their continued support towards Malawi.

The 79th session of UNGA was being held under the theme: Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.

Malawi, Politics, Regional

When is Chakwera returning from UNGA? Ruto in Nairobi resting

Maravi Post Reporter

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President William Ruto has returned to Kenya after attending the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, leaving behind Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera and his team, whose return date remains uncertain.

Chakwera, leading one of the world’s poorest countries, Malawi, was the first to arrive at the UNGA and ironically will also be the last to leave.

According to a State House source, Chakwera was supposed to be in Malawi on October 2 but no communication has been made about his return back home.

Ruto’s week-long trip to the United States was accompanied by key government officials, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries Aden Duale (Environment) and Hassan Joho (Mining), and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who sought to garner support for his African Union Commission chairperson bid.

The Kenyan president’s return coincides with escalating political tensions within the Kenya Kwanza camp regarding the planned impeachment motion against his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

Meanwhile, President Chakwera’s prolonged stay at the UNGA has sparked curiosity, with many wondering where Malawi stands on the global stage.

As a nation facing severe socio-economic challenges, Malawi’s participation in international forums like the UNGA is crucial for addressing pressing issues such as poverty, lack of opportunity and climate change.

Environment, Malawi, Regional

Chakwera dates UNDP administrator Steiner, former UN chief Moon on Climate change adaption programs

MaraviPost

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera’s took advantage of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to meet global leaders in aspect of Climate change and cooperations.

From the general debate at the UN General Assembly, Chakwera went into three important meetings aimed at canvassing more solidarity towards our development agenda.

The Malawi leader engaged UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, to discuss the social impact being realised by UN agencies in their development work within Malawian communities.

In his remarks, Steiner reiterated UN’s sustained support to Malawi to help us adopt and benefit from various innovative development solutions such as the Growth Accelerator initiatives.

The duo therefore agreed to cement mutual commitment in implementing the Malawi United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024 – 2028 that will broaden areas of cooperation.

Chakwera also attended the Global Centre of Adaptation forum where together with former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and other world leaders we resolved to lobby for doubled climate adaptation finance especially from big culprits of global warming through carbon emissions.

Not only that The Malawi President met Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani – Sandrui to bolster cooperation and explore new avenues through which the two countries can share development aspirations.

Chakwera is expected to return home on October 2, 2024.

Environment, Malawi, Regional

Chakwera challenges LDCs on climate change impact resilience, financing

Maravi Post Author

By Dumbani Mzale

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera says Least Development Countries (LDCs) like Malawi need increased tailor-made support to propel their climate change resilience and financing mechanisms that are grounded in science.

Chakwera made the call on Thursday during a leaders’ dialogue on climate adaptation action in Africa, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

He told the dialogue that Malawi exemplifies the struggles of LDCs in Africa as the country is also grappling with the severe aftermath of extreme weather events such as floods, which are destroying crops and homes, and droughts that leave the fields barren.

Chakwera (R) interacts with for UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the event
The President added that such hostile weather shocks are also usually associated with unpredictable rainfall that disrupts agricultural cycles, jeopardising food and water security, stunting economic growth, and inflating adaptation costs—despite the country’s minimal contribution to global emissions.

He said in view of such perilous situations, adaptation and resilience are urgent imperatives for Africa.

“While global efforts to cap warming at 1.5°C are crucial, we cannot overlook the need to bolster climate resilience in African nations. This calls for increased support, unwavering commitments, and strengthened collaboration,” he said.

The Malawi leader, thereafter, urged other vulnerable LDCs to climate change shock to consider developing national adaptation plans, which he said are pivotal to achieving climate resilience.

Telling a Malawi story, Chakwera said through the National Adaptation Programmes of Action, Malawi has executed small-scale projects addressing immediate adaptation needs, and are yielding promising results.

He said Malawi has been fortunate to receive readiness support from the Green Climate Fund for advancing NAP formulation.

Chakwera added that LDCs need more financing mechanisms in form of public finance, predominantly in terms of grants, which he said is essential for addressing climate change-induced loss and damage, propelling mitigation efforts, and steering adaptation actions.

The Leaders’ Dialogue on Climate Adaptation Action in Africa is an event that resulted in a high-level communique that confirmed adaptation as a priority for the continent.

Politics, Regional

Malawi President Chakwera challenges UN to embrace democracy

Malawi News Agency (MANA)


By Arkangel Tembo

NEW YORK-(MANA)-President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has asked United Nations (UN) to embrace democracy in the Security Council by giving Africa two permanent seats with veto power saying this can make stronger representation of the interests of developing countries in the Security Council.

President Chakwera said this on Thursday during the high-level debate of the 79th United Nations General Assembly taking place in New York, United States of America (USA).

The President said by giving two permanent seats, the UN is strengthening the voice of developing countries on the issues that matter to Africans.

“Member state of this UN relates to other nations in the world on three dimensions namely cooperation, competition, and conflict. How we manage our relationships on each of these dimensions will ultimately determine the kind of world we will create for the children of tomorrow.

“So when we sit in this chamber to deliberate on the cooperation, or competition, or conflict between member states, we are designing and deciding our future. I am therefore glad that the theme of our debate this year touches on all three dimensions because the bottom line is that in all three, we can and must do better.

“This years theme calls on us to act together to advance peace, sustainable development, and dignity. This is a call to stronger multilateral cooperation. But if we are serious about cooperation, then we must act with urgency in fixing and reforming the United Nations and other multilateral institutions, and one fix that we from Africa demand is for the United Nations to embrace democracy in the Security Council by giving Africa two permanent seats with veto power,” said President Chakwera.

The Malawi leader said in the four years that he has been President, he has been declaring a state of natural disaster every year because of climate change impacts that Malawi cannot solve without multilateral cooperation.

He added,” for one of those years, I was chair of two development communities, namely the Southern Africa Development Community and the Least Developed Countries, and I learnt firsthand that no nation can survive a global crisis or develop in the face of shocks without strong multilateral cooperation to sustain it.

“Even the great strides of development we have made over the past four years have been facilitated by strong international cooperation. Whether it be the four road corridors and hundreds of secondary schools we are constructing through our cooperation with the United States; or the M1 road we are rehabilitating and expanding through our cooperation with the European Union; or the railway system we have revived for the first time in 40 years through our cooperation with China, among other projects”.

President Chakwera further told the gathering that developing countries efforts to move forward in fifth gear are being significantly slowed down by a global system of multilateral agencies and financial institutions that are too slow, too inefficient, too monolithic, and too undemocratic for the kind of speedy and tailor made interventions needed.

He said the refusal to practice the democracy of equal representation in the UN, calls for member states to practice democracy in their jurisdictions are beginning to fall on deaf ears adding as a result of developing countries’ refusal to honour climate financing pledges or link them to debt relief, the debt-to-GDP ratios in developing countries like Malawi are growing at an alarming rate, posing a significant threat to global financial stability.

“If this is not fixed, those who keep us in a state of perpetual debt when they have the resources to cancel those debts should make no mistake: the spreading debt crisis in the developing world is cancer that will make our economies unsafe. So the time to fix this is now,” he said.

Development, Malawi, Opinion

79th UNGA: Chakwera dates Ireland to support Malawi’s ATM strategy

Maravi Post Reporter

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has appealed for possible support from the government of Ireland towards the much-touted ATM Strategy which prioritises boosting productivity in Agriculture, Tourism and Mining sectors.

Chakwera made the appeal on Tuesday during an audience with Irish President Michael Higgins on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Malawi’s growth strategy is now focused on boosting productivity in agriculture, tourism, and mining, collectively dubbed the ATM strategy, a brainchild of Chakwera himself.

The strategy is envisioned as a game-changer for the country’s development as it is expected to turn Malawi from a poor to a wealthy nation, through the implementation of the overarching long-term national development blue-print called the Malawi Vision 2063.

“Strategies which my government has put in place to implement the ATM strategy including introduction of an online business registration platform to streamline processes, removal of visa requirements for visitors from several European countries, including Ireland, as well as conserving and improving tourist attraction sites and infrastructure to make Malawi a preferred tourist destination,” Chakwera told his Irish counterpart.

Chakwera also told the Ireland President that Malawi also boasts of having various minerals which he said have been recently discovered and also the necessary measures to ensure sanity in the mining sector.

Currently, Malawi is still lobbying for direct budgetary support from EU countries, including Ireland. Budgetary support was suspended by many of Malawi’s traditional donors in September 2013, following revelations of massive plunder of public resources, popularly christened ‘cashgate.’

“We therefore need investors to support the Agricultural sector through enhanced mechanized farming, value addition and production of agro-inputs; the Tourism sector by developing the tourism infrastructure while more investors are also needed in the mining sector,” he added.

The Malawi leader, thereafter, assured Higgins that his government is determined to improve the livelihood of Malawians through democratic governance and creation of innovative ways of addressing emerging and perennial challenges.

The Irish government is currently fulfilling its commitment in helping Malawi achieve its development priorities in areas of climate change, education, governance and agriculture.

Development, Malawi, Regional

79th UNGA: Chakwera lauds USAID

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Arkangel Tembo

NEW YORK-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has hailed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for taking a leading role in facilitating the creation of free lead poisoning among children globally for a sustainable future generation.

He made the remarks Monday during a partnership for a lead-free future meeting with the USAID delegation in New York, USA.

President Chakwera stated that since assuming office he discovered high levels of lead in paint being sold on the Malawian market, resulting in the exposure of over 3 million Malawian children to lead poisoning.

He said that while millions of dollars are being poured into education, the outcomes of that education are being compromised by the impairment of children’s cognitive development caused by lead poisoning

”Not to say anything of the cost of treating lead-related illnesses to the tune of close to 1 billion dollars every year, which is over 5 per cent of GDP,” said Chakwera

He indicated that in the first year of his office, the government committed resources of the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) to collaborate with the Lead Exposure Elimination Project in providing stronger enforcement of lead paint regulations, including better testing facilities to detect lead in products.

“This measure alone resulted in the reduction of the market share of brands with lead paint by 50% within two years and secured the commitment of two-thirds of all manufacturers to go lead-free,” said President Chakwera

He revealed that Malawi is committed to joining the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future to have access to the necessary international support to achieve such important benchmarks as identifying all key sources of lead exposure in Malawi.

Business, Malawi, Regional

79th UNGA: Chakwera woo investors at Malawi partners conference

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Arkangel Tembo

NEW YORK-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has urged potential investors in the United States of America (USA) that Malawi is the best investment destination with resilient economic growth, stable and peaceful country.

The President said this on Sunday evening at the Martinique Hotel in New York during a second edition of the Malawi-Partners Conference, held on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Addressing the potential investors, Chakwera said Malawi has 5.3 million hectares of arable land, representing 45 percent of its total land area; adding that the country has abundant water resources, coupled with several major river systems.

In addition, President Chakwera told the would-be investors that Malawi has access to a market of over 100 million people in the SADC and COMESA regions.

“We have a visionary, stable, democratic political leadership which are all key to creating an enabling environment for public and private funding investments in an open economy,” he said.

The Malawi leader said the country has also recently developed a One-Stop Service Centre for investment and trade Promotion through the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC), adding that Malawi has a large, highly educated, skilled, hardworking, trainable workforce.

The Malawi leader further said that the country is also a gold mine of agricultural experience, flooded with untapped specific projects and economic opportunities waiting to be explored.

Amid catastrophic climate and health-related shocks, Chakwera said his government continues to lay a solid foundation for Malawis prosperity.

“Malawi is not only a land of opportunities, but also a nation ready to meet the global demand for high-quality products.

“We have a web of rivers and lakes, and arable land that is fit-for-purpose of high-value agricultural production zones,” he added.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi who also attended the conference echoed his counterparts sentiment by assuring potential investors that Malawi is endowed with so many natural resources which he said are conducive for investment.

“I would like to agree with my brother here that just like in Malawi, agriculture also plays a critical role in Mozambique and Africa as a whole in terms of providing primary source of livelihood, and income to the majority of the population.

“I encourage you to come and invest in Malawi because they have what it takes in terms of marketing among others,” he said.

The first edition of the Malawi-Partners Conference was also held at the same venue and some of the fruits of the conference include the ongoing construction of the Magwero Industrial Park near Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) whose resources were committed by the Afreximbank at that time.

Other commitments from last years conference that have materialized include the World Bank-financed Regional Climate Resilience Program, IFAD-funded Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Program, and the Building Education Foundation Project that the Global Partnership for Education is financing.

The 2024 edition of the Malawi-Partners conference was held under the theme “Securing Our Future: Enhancing Investment in Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.”

Development, Malawi, Regional

79th UNGA: Chakwera calls for “Extra Gear” on SDGs

Lloyd M’bwana

NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has called on United Nations (UN) member states to double their efforts by engaging ‘extra gear’ if Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are to be attained come 2030.

Chakwera has said this in New York on Sunday, September 22, 2024 when he addressed the ‘Summit for the Future’ which was held under the theme: “transforming global governance and turbocharging the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development”

The summit was part of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) which is currently underway at the UN Headquarters, bringing together a total of 193 member states.

“As things stand, we are not likely to meet the targets we set for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), because we seem more interested in moving with speed in destroying the future than we are in replenishing.

“So now, we must reflect on the extra gear we need to engage between now and 2030 to sustain the hope of young people,” said the Malawi leader.

Chakwera said world over, sustainable development is untenable without sustainable financing, calling for urgency in remodeling development financing.

He clarified that by remodeling development financing, he meant financing facilities that are more robust, inclusive, and humane, as well as financing that will catalyze global development in developing countries.

“We must reconfigure multilateral institutions to create a new architecture of global finance, one that reduces the debt burden of developing countries,” said Chakwera.

He also told the gathering that the world must exploit demographic dividend by developing technical skills and harnessing the enormous potential of the youth in order to achieve the fourth Industrial Revolution.

Later during the day, President Chakwera is expected to preside over the Malawi Partners Conference which will be held under the theme “Securing our future: Enhancing investment in agriculture for sustainable food security.”