Obama invites Mutharika to US for an African Leaders Summit
US President Barack Obama has invited new Malawi’s President, Prof. Peter Mutharika to Washington DC for the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit on August 5 and 6, 2014, the US Ambassador to Malawi, Janine Jackson, has said.
The Summit will build on the progress made since Obama’s trip to Africa last year, advance America’s focus on trade and investment in Africa, and highlight America’s commitment to Africa’s security, its democratic development, and its people.
Jackson disclosed that President Obama had invited Mutharika to the Summit to be held under the theme ‘Investing in Future Generations of Africans’.
US diplomat also said Obama administration has been impressed with Mutharika’s plans towards the youth as listed in his Tuesday State of the Nation .
Jackson told journalists that Mutharika’s dedication to ‘youth development’ was in line with President Obama’s desire of promoting the youth of the Africa.
“I am very interested in the president’s dedication to youth development,” Jackson said after the President’s address at the opening of the 45th Session of Parliament.
“That happens to be our President’s priority on the continent of Africa too and we just sent 9 young Africans to the United States to participate in President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative. We are really pleased that this government is also committed to youth Development.”
In his address, President Mutharika said his Government would strive to effectively harness the potential of the youth and equip them with knowledge and skills necessary for their full participation in the social, cultural, economic and political development of the country.
He said specifically, the youth would be empowered through the establishment of a National Youth Development Service (NYDS) for the youth to develop skills for and to enable them to be self-reliant.
Mutharika added that his government would also empower the youth to articulate their own needs through the formation of area, district and national youth organizations; and that he would establish new vocational and business training centres for vendors and create new opportunities for soft loans to enable the youth to start their own businesses.
“These initiatives will encourage our youth to develop a mentality towards non-white collar jobs and be prepared for self-employment and entrepreneurship,” said Mutharika.
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