By Chisomo Phiri
The Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that President Lazarus Chakwera will not attend the 36th session of the African Union Summit meeting scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa,the Federal Republican of Ethiopia from February 18 to February 19,2023.
According to a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Malawi leader will not attend the Africa’s top meeting due to other equally important national commitments assigned to him during the same period, including Cabinet’s ongoing preparations for the Budget Meeting of Parliament.
The statement says, therefore, Chakwera has designated Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo to represent him at the Summit Meeting.
” His Excellency the President, will, however, attend certain AU sessions virtually, ” reads the statement in part.
The 36th Ordinary Session Assembly is the AU’s supreme policy and decision-making organ.
It comprises all Member State Heads of State and Government.
The Assembly determines the AU’s policies, establishes its priorities, adopts its annual programme and monitors the implementation of its policies and decisions.
The Summit will be held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It is themed “The Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation.”
