Chakwera Bids Farewell to Botswana President, Hails Regional Solidarity Amid Crisis
President Lazarus Chakwera has described the State Visit by Botswana President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko as a symbol of deepening regional solidarity, especially at a time Malawi is emerging from a chain of devastating national crises.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday, Chakwera thanked Boko for gracing Malawi’s 61st Independence Day Celebrations as Guest of Honour and for reinforcing bilateral ties through newly signed cooperation agreements—particularly in the area of trade.
Chakwera said Boko’s presence had gone beyond diplomacy and represented true African brotherhood, especially as Malawi continues to rise from a “barrage of disasters” that have left the country battered but unbroken.
He recounted the past five years of back-to-back crises: the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Tropical Storms Ana and Gombe in 2022, a nationwide cholera outbreak, and Cyclone Freddy—the deadliest climate disaster on record in 2023. This was followed by El Niño-induced drought that wiped out half the nation’s food crops in 2024. The country is now grappling with an Mpox outbreak in 2025.
Despite these successive blows, Chakwera declared that Malawi remains standing. “We are still united. We are still hopeful,” he said, crediting divine grace and the resilience of Malawians, as well as the unwavering support of neighbouring countries like Botswana.
“Our good relationship with our friends in the region is one of the graces that has helped us stay on our feet and focused on development,” Chakwera said, describing Botswana as “a shining example” of regional solidarity.
The visit was marked by the signing of memoranda of understanding to facilitate stronger cooperation between the two nations, especially in trade and economic development.
President Chakwera closed his remarks by expressing hope that Boko had experienced enough of Malawi’s warmth and beauty to become a passionate ambassador for “Brand Malawi” on the international stage.
The briefing concluded with Chakwera inviting President Boko to address the Malawian press before his departure, capping off what he termed an “historic visit.”