Malawi President arrives in Madrid for UN climate summit

Malawian President Arthur Peter Mutharika on Friday evening arrived in Madrid, Spain to attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) which starts December 2 to 12.

Mutharika is amongst the few five African leaders invited to attend the meeting based on their splendid performance towards climate change in their countries.

This year’s talks will focus on putting the 2015 Paris agreement into practice with the aim of cutting on greenhouse gas emissions which are a major culprit of climate change.

The conference will also be a preparatory meeting for the 2020 climate conference which will take place in the UK where it is expected that long term responses to climate change emergency will be decided.

Addressing the media before departure at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, President Mutharika said he would speak on the adverse effects of climate change such as global warming on least developed countries like Malawi.

“There are several challenges that have resulted from climate change such as dwindling water levels in the Shire River and Lake Malawi and floods among others which have adversely affected the country,” he said.

Malawi has also experienced changing rainfall patterns and dry spells which specialists have attributed to climate change.

The UN Climate Change Conference COP 25 will take place under the Presidency of the Government of Chile and will be held with logistical support from the Government of Spain.

The conference is designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. Following agreement on the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement at COP 24 in Poland last year, a key objective is to complete several matters with respect to the full operationalization of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

Upon arrival, Malawi President Mutharika was welcomed by Minister of Natural resources, energy and mining  Binton Kumtsaila , Minister of Foreign Affairs  Francis Kasaila , Principal Secretary of foreign affairs Ben Botolo, Principal Secretary for Natural resources Oliver Kumbambe and deputy Malawi High Commisioner to United Kingdom  Quent Kalichero.