WASHINGTON DC-(MaraviPost)-The US-based Project Everyone has lauded Malawi Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda for insightful and inspiring remarks at the Global Goals Dinner in Washington DC which was held on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

The 2024 Global Goals Conference Dinner was the sideline of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

During the dinner, Malawi Finance Minister Chithyola Banda made a serious appeal for flexibility of the IDA in supporting countries like Malawi to effectively respond to emergencies and natural disasters that impact heavily on the economy and livelihoods.

In his presentation, Banda also underscored the urgent need for IDA to invest in the country’s education and agriculture sectors as well as help strengthen systems to build resilience amid the recurring disasters.

However, in an email The Maravi Post has seen, Project Everyone’s Co-Founder Kate Garvey lauded Chithyola for insightful, inspiring, and exciting remarks during the event.

The email reads, “On behalf of Project Everyone, Sharing Strategies, The ONE Campaign and Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, I wanted to thank you for attending and giving such powerful remarks at the Global Goals Dinner in DC last Thursday 18 April 2024.

“Your contribution highlighted the flexibility of IDA in supporting countries like Malawi to respond to emergencies and natural disasters, to invest in education and agriculture, and to strengthen systems to build resilience”.

Garvey adds, “We hope that your conversations were insightful, inspiring, and exciting. As we enter the second half of the Goals, it is essential for us to work together to ensure this IDA replenishment is the largest ever because investing in IDA is investing in our future”.

In his reaction, Chithyola attributed the recognition to current Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera leadership that empowers cabinet minister to advance the country’s agenda to global platforms.

IDA is an arm of the World Bank that provides assistance to the world’s 75 low-income countries to help them invest in their future and improve lives.

This is an international academic conference designed to support global debates on the future of the Sustainable Development Goals-until and beyond 2030.

Last month, President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster in 23 out of the country’s 28 districts affected by the El Nino weather phenomenon and also appealed for support from both the local and the international community.

Other speakers during the event included Melinda French Gates from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State (Development and Africa), United Kingdom.