By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday, September 30,2022 ended his successful tour of the United States of America where he attended the 77th Assembly of the United Nations in New York. Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced that the President will return home Monday morning.
Writing on his official Facebook page on Friday, President Chakwera who left the country on September 12,2022 said; “I have now officially ended my tour of duty in the USA with an address to the Congressional Black Caucus. My deep thanks goes to US Government for hosting us so well.
Tomorrow we begin our journey home to turn the huge investment we’ve secured here into wins for Malawians.”
While in USA, President Lazarus Chakwera addressed the 77th UN General Assembly on 22nd September in which his 10 minutes speech articulated a number of issues ranging from food crisis, security challenges, climate change and Covid-19 effects, and based much on calling the UN member states to work together to end crises facing many countries within the organization especially the LDCs.
“If we are truly one UN family, the leaving no one behind has to be practiced not just preached.” Read part of his speech.
But apart from the main UN General Assembly, President Chakwera attended many other side meetings, conferences, and events during the tour.
Among others, President Chakwera had a stop in Kenya where he was among heads of state who attended the inauguration ceremony of Kenyan President, William Ruto before proceeding for United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
While in New York, Chakwera had several engagements with various donor and developmental partners in his quest to move Malawi higher in both social, economic, and developmental livelihood of its citizens inline with the 2063 vision.
He among others attended a reception on Friday, September 16,2022 which aimed at mobilizing resources for the health sector in Malawi. He also addressed the Nuveen Agricultural Investment Business Council for International Understanding (BIUC) where he challenged Investors to invest in Malawi’ agricultural industry including mega-farms the country is embarking on.
He further addressed the High-Level Summit for Transforming Education, addressed the Green Climate Fund Summit where he appealed for more funding to Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
Malawi leader also attended the USAID Conference on Democracy.
Chakwera attended the Global Fund Conference on September 21,2022 where he secured about K640 billion for fight against TB/HIV, Malaria, and Covid-19 in the country before addressing UN General Assembly on 22nd September, 2022.
Addressed the Annual Investment Forum of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) on Thursday, where he appealed for international financing institutions to partner Malawi’s NEEF to support Small Scale Entrepreneurs which comprises the youth and women.
President Chakwera then went to Washington DC where he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Malawi Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation for second compact worth $350 million for construction of the 300-Kilometre network of four corridor roads across the country to facilitate greater flow of agricultural products from farms to urban markets, a program President Chakwera described as very important for Malawi.
