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Peter Mutharika delivers powerful speech at UN General Assembly

By Thom Chiumia, Nyasa Times

September 28, 2011   ·   86 Comments

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Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, on Tuesday addressed the 66th United Nations General Assembly in New York on behalf of President Bingu wa Mutharika.

The UN General Assembly has been meeting under the theme: ‘The need for world leaders to deliver on the promise of sustainable development.’

In his speech at the final day of the General Assembly’s annual general debate monitored by Nyasa Times on UN webcast, Professor Peter Mutharika, pledged Malawi’s resolve to continue military troops to the United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The Foreign Minister noted how timely and appropriate this year’s theme is, saying “methods must be found to resolve disputes between states and within states.”

The Law professor said the international community should “train people in dispute settlement” through universities, saying “no matter what development we do it will be meaningless if there is no peace and securities in our countries.”

Mutharika told the world body that there is a growing “movements of people” in Africa which are bent on pushing “unconstitutional changes of government and thereby causing instability, “apparently he was referring to the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East.

However, he said Malawi is strongly committed to the “promotion of peace and security, democracy, and good governance.”

“We have for example instituted a number of bodies, for example the Malawi Human Rights Commission, the Ombudsman, Anti Corruption Bureau and the department of the Auditor General. All these institutions are good governance institutions aimed at improving our governance in Africa and certainly Malawi,” said Peter Mutharika.

The Malawi Foreign Minister said the UN Security Council – a
political organ with primary responsibility for international peace and security – should continue their decolonization efforts and that world’s remaining non-self-governing territories, home collectively to nearly two million people, are able to exercise their right to self-determination.

“The continuation of colonialism in any form is therefore counter-productive to social, economic and cultural development,” he said.

The Foreign Minister then pointed out that Africa remains under represented in the Security Council.

“The structure is no longer applicable. We need to make sure that the security council is democratised,” Mutharika said.

The Minister also expressed his concern based on the injustices that are historically embedded in the Security Council, given that Africa is the only continent with no permanent representation and has insufficient representation in the non-permanent category.

He called for a reverse of the injustice by granting Africa, “two permanent seats and a total of five elected seats” in the Security Council.

In his speech, Mutharika also focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, dealing with climate change, disaster and relief management.

He said “climate change has become an extremely difficult issue in Africa “and he called on international community to “come up with mechanism for managing with climate change.”

Peter Mutharika, younger brother to President Mutharika, appointed as Foreign Affairs minister in the recent cabinet shake up, is being groomed for the presidency. He is ruling DPP nominated presidential candidate for 2014 elections.

Tags: Bingu wa Mutharika, Peter Mutharika, UN

86 Responses to “Peter Mutharika delivers powerful speech at UN General Assembly”

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1. 86

   mbuchindele Says:

   October 2nd, 2011 at 12:40 am

   
   

   I dont see why people should be confused by this rhetoric hence stupid speech. peter is talking of freedom of Universities- he himself failed to ensure academic freedom the dictators he is backing up for egypt, tunisia etc. they themselves realised they were dictators and the resigned. peter said they were democratically chosen? zazii zenizeni he talks of decolonisation yet he is on tour to Uk to negotiate with the same colonisers he is despising. stupid peter amazes me! Like 0 Reply

2. 85

   Woyee Says:

   September 29th, 2011 at 3:30 pm

   
   

   Ndi Mlomwe ameneyo- Intelligent guy-, mumayesa anzeru ndi atumbuka, alibe nzeru amenewo- a kasambala chani. 2014 woooh Like 1 Reply

3. 84

   Wiwanana says Says:

   September 29th, 2011 at 2:46 pm

   
   

   U can choose not to vote for Peter, but remember that ur vote is a grain of sand on the seashore. Like 0 Reply

4. 83

   callen mat Says:

   September 29th, 2011 at 2:26 pm

   
   

   Being patriotic is one thing, like being Dad in a family but bemoaned by all in the village -tiwonane 2014 Like 0 Reply

5. 82

   cka Says:

   September 29th, 2011 at 12:23 pm

   
   

   Although he spoke lyk that but i cant and i wil never vote 4 him,they giv gud speeches when they go outside the country but here amatitukwana Like 0 Reply

6. 81

   Peter M Says:

   September 29th, 2011 at 8:28 am

   
   

   Even if he can give strong speech i can not dare to vote for him in 2014. Many people are killed now and some being arrested without proper reasons. Like 2 Reply

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