Chakwera at UNGA: Malawi, Mozambique stands shoulder to shoulder to save Miombo Forests
Malawi leader Lazarus Chakwera and his Mozambique counterpart Filipe Nyusi have agreed that they will stand shoulder to shoulder in doing everything possible to save Miombo Forests which are on the danger of extinction because of human activities.
Speaking at a meeting in Washington, USA, last night, Chakwera emphasized that two countries will do everything possible to save Miombo forests—whether it be initiatives to reforests the parts that have been destroyed, or programs to empower local communities to take ownership of its stewardship, or collaborating to implement and comply with the Maputo Declaration on Sustainable Management of Miombo Forests that we signed in 2022, or mobilizing resources to be invested in research for the development of sustainable practices that enhance the resilience of our forests against climate change.
Chakwera noted that Miombo Forest—which stretches across more than 2.7 million square kilometers and spanning several countries, including Malawi—is not just a natural wonder and a bastion and central bank of natural treasures for our planet.
“It is a vital ecosystem that defines the landscape of our beautiful continent and sustains the livelihoods of millions. The biodiversity of flora and fauna that reside there are simply extraordinary, serving as an immune system of sorts that regulates the health and quality of the food, medicine, and materials that our communities depend on,” he said.
Despite that, added Chakwera, the Miombo Forest is being destroyed and the net effect of all of this is the decimation Miombo’s biodiversity, much to the detriment of the millions of people whose livelihood depends on it, and without which they have no natural defense against the blows of climate impacts.
“As much as our nations look to us to find solutions to these challenges, both President Nyusi and I know first-hand that solving national problems is a factor of strategic partnerships, and so I must acknowledge the efforts of the World Conservation Society, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation, and the Rain Forest Trust as partners in promoting the sustainable management and conservation of the Miombo Forests,” he said.
The Malawi leader reminded the Mozambique counterpart that: “We are in this fight to save Miombo Forests together, because that’s what best friends are for.”
