By Linda Kwanjana
Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has today left Malawi for Luanda in Angola where he will be attending the 43 Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit.
Speaking during his departure at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), President Chakwera described the summit as crucial.
“As an integral part of SADC region, this annual summit is crucial for us because we discuss issues to consolidate our integration and make sure our democracy is intact all over the region, and also make sure that there is peace and security [in the region]. These are issues that have been paramount in the last two summits and we will get updates as to where we are just to make sure that the Southern African Development Community becomes an example all over Africa on how to handle some of the things that concern all of us,” said President Chakwera.
It is expected that after attending the Summit in Angola the Malawi leader will also attend the BRICS Summit in South Africa as well as hold outreach meetings.
The SADC meeting will take place from 17th to 18th August,
2023 under the theme: “Human and Financial Capital: The key drivers for sustainable industrialisation of the SADC Region.”
Among other activities, the Summit will elect Angola to become next Chair of SADC, succeeding the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Summit will also provide political direction and commitment on how the region should position itself in the face of diverse
and complex opportunities and threats that increasingly demand regional cooperation.
After attending the SADC Summit Meeting, the President will proceed to Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa, to attend the 15th Session of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Plus Outreach Summit from 22nd to 24th August, 2023.
Again the theme for the Summit Meeting is: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and
Inclusive Multilateralism”.
According to the statement which Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the objective of the Summit is to pursue, among other issues, alternative international financial systems.
“His Excellency the President will take advantage of both Summits to hold bilateral consultations with other world leaders with the objective of secuing support for Malaw’s economic recovery,” reads the statement.
Chakwera is expected to return home on Friday, 25th August, 2023.
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