By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera has called upon all Southern African Development Community(SADC) member states to remain united to overcome numerous challenges the region is going through.
He made the remarks during the official opening of the 51st Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum at Bingu International Convention Center in the Capital Lilongwe, on Monday, July 11,2022.
President Chakwera told the delegates that SADC is going through times of hardship, calamity, and uncertainty that requires holding hands as one big family for its strength and endurance.
“All around us on every continent are rising tides of global and regional upheavals, a time beset with existential threats to our way of life, common purpose and destiny. Our generation is staring into the chasm of global recession, economic stagnation, food insecurity, a fragile supply chain, rising global commodity prices, and many enemies of progress looking to exploit the suffering of others to cause social unrest and undermine institutions. And so for us as SADC family that time for uncertainty in which we must band together for strength and endurance has come.” Said Malawi leader who is also the chairman for SADC.
President Chakwera further expressed his pleasure that the theme for the Plenary Assembly this year is in line with the SADC vision of economic well-being and poverty eradication in Southern Africa, adding that it is in tandem with the Maseru 1996 SADC Protocol on Energy.
He said “I have noted with pleasure that the theme for this Plenary Assembly is: ‘Towards Energy Sufficiency, Sustainability, and Self-Sufficiency in the SADC Region’. I think this is a well and carefully chosen theme. It is in tandem with the Maseru 1996 SADC Protocol on Energy which recognizes the importance of energy in pursuit of the SADC vision of economic well-being and poverty eradication in Southern Africa. Therefore, I have no doubt that the deliberations of this Plenary Assembly Session will be guided and anchored on the foundation principles and objectives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)”.
Additionally, President Chakwera told the delegates to the Assembly that as other countries in the SADC region, Malawi has felt the turbulence of disrupted global economy following the climate change devastation, a hit by Covid-19 pandemic, and a hit by Tropical Storms Ana and Gombe, as well as political unrest among others, leaving the country in a state of devastation.
But President Chakwera came quick to say regardless of the devastations the country has gone through, the country has remained confident that it will come out stronger and better.
 member states to remain united to overcome numerous challenges the region is going through. He made…){kind=link}