Pres. Banda meets Malawians in Japan: ‘Economy is healing back home’

President Joyce Banda has met Malawians working and studying in Japan and Japanese who once worked and lived in Malawi at a reception organized by the Malawi Mission in Japan at PIA Yokohama.

Banda encouraged the Malawians to be genuine Malawi ambassadors in Japan by being disciplined and hardworking.

She also briefed the Malawians on the developments taking place at home in social, economic and political spheres.

President Banda reported that after taking bold, painful but necessary economic reforms, the Malawi economic was on the road to genuine recovery.

Malawians living and studying in Japan pose for a photograph with President Banda
Malawians living and studying in Japan pose for a photograph with President Banda

She  thanked the Japanese who once worked and lived in Malawi for their valued contribution to the social and economic development of Malawi.

Banda singled out the Japan International Cooperation (JICA) Overseas Volunteers for their “selfless service to our country since the early 1970s”.

The Japanese presented a gift of two books—a collection of African Poems and a Japanese, Chichewa Dictionary—to President Banda.

Other speakers at the ceremony were Dr. Louis Nthenda, Chairperson of the Association of Malawians Living in Japan, a representative of the Japanese Society of Malawi, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ephraim Abel Kayembe and Malawi’s Ambassador to Tokyo, Brigadier Rueben Ngwenya.

According to presidential communications aide, Tusekele Mwanyongo, before the two engagements, the Mayor of the City of Yokohama, Fumiko Hayashi paid a courtesy call on President Banda at her hotel to “thank the President for graciously accepting to present a Keynote Address at the TICAD V official side event—International Symposium on Women’s Leadership and Economic Growth”.

Banda is currently attending the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) in Yokohama, which officially opened on June 1, 2013 at the Pacifico Yokohama.

The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, on Friday evening hosted a Welcome Cocktail Reception at the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel in honour of African Heads of State and Government and heads of multilateral institutions. President Banda was among the leaders invited by the Japanese Prime Minister.

Mwanyongo told Nyasa Times that in the course of the welcome reception, the President informally interacted with various world leaders, including the President of Liberia and Africa’s first woman Head of State, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the President of the World Bank Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, among others.

The President took the opportunity to thank Dr. Kim for the support the Bank continues to render Malawi, including the announcement on Tuesday by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors of the approved a US$50 million grant (about K16 billion) to the Malawi Government for budgetary support.

'Ndimakonda, umandikonda ndidziwa' star and a former Japanese volunteer poses for a photograph with the First Couple
‘Ndimakonda, umandikonda ndidziwa’ star and a former Japanese volunteer poses for a photograph with the First Couple
Mayor of Yokohama exchange and compares notes with President Banda
Mayor of Yokohama exchange and compares notes with President Banda
President Banda poses for a photograph with members of the Japanese Society of Malawi
President Banda poses for a photograph with members of the Japanese Society of Malawi
An admirer seizes the opportunity to speak with President Banda at the reception
An admirer seizes the opportunity to speak with President Banda at the reception

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
10 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Read previous post:
Malawi will not reach zero blackout even with World Bank US84.7bn project -Escom

The  World Bank US $84.7 million (K34.7 billion) project will not even  make the persistent electricity blackouts go away completely,...

Close