Malawi President Mutharika addresses UN General Assembly: Against trend of stereotyping Africa
Malawi President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika on Wednesday afternoon Septermber 20 2017 addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly with a message that focused on investing in African people to realise their potential in both national and global development.
In the speech, President Mutharika zeroed in on the warped view of Africa that usually shapes the image of never-ending strife in the eyes of many people..
“There are many [people} outside the African continent who choose to focus on its socio-political weaknesses instead of the huge potential of African people. This one sided perception must end,” Mutharika said.
The international media is often criticised for only reporting on the negatives of Africa, with stories focusing on poverty, famine, war and corruption.
Mutharika further said that people realise their full potential if they are treated positively hence the need to promote the spirit of sustainable human collaboration
The Malawi leader went on to highlight four areas of promoting inclusive growth in society.
Firstly was the issue of promoting gender, women and youth empowerment as a starting point of nurturing development in communities.
“Development cannot succeed unless it is driven from within. No human community can take off socio-economically without empowering its people,” Mutharika said.
President Mutharika also called for a working partnership with key stakeholders in development stating that the well-being of the global society is more assured when countries work in partnerships for development.
“We achieve more within our nations with inclusion of all sectors of society,” he said.
The President further said there was also a need of paying close attention to issues that affect most vulnerable citizens with climate change as one of the issues.
“The suffering caused by climate change everywhere is real. The people who suffer in the tragedies are not just figures and statistics. These are real human souls like anyone here” he said.
The speech also gave an insight in how the country is eliminating all forms of violence against women, children and people with disability.
The statement ran close to 11 minutes.
Instituted since 1946, the U.N. General Assembly is the biggest annual gathering of world leaders as the body put it, ‘to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges. 193 countries will have their leaders or representatives giving addresses.
It is the first UNGA for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who took over last year from Ban Ki-Moon.
Ki-moon stepped down after serving two five-year terms.
The Summit takes place between Tuesday September 19 till Monday September 25. The theme for this year’s session is: “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for all on a Sustainable Planet”.
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Mukanatumizako a vice president ulendo uno. Get him exposed to such international forums so that at the end of your term he may look back and say, aah yes there was mutharika the man who made me who I am now.
P/S Botswana was represented by a vice president.
Speech without mentioning Electricity blackouts in Malawi is useless
That was so great speech indeed, but which Country in Africa? Malawi or nebas? i once be a person who feels happy when others are doing well, to the point that i could say let this happen to my friend and on top of that i was also thinking that i will have what my friends have to day, shamelessly i didn’t know that i need to fight for my self to get what i want, until somebody told me that that’s a Malawian. I can see the same with Mr President, in his speech of Investing in Africa, which… Read more »
APM……Amatikhomeleratu ife ndi Azungu omwewa. Anayambitsa ukapolo kale lomwe. Pano anatembenuza ukapolowo kuwusandutsa AID yomwe imakhalanso ndi interest. Kumatichita dictate chochita. Kutipatsa ma conditions akafuna kutikongoza ndalama. Mavuto amenewa sazatha pokhapokha titakhala ndi revolutionary minds ngati Gadaffi, Baba Mugabe, Kwame Mkruma ndi ena otero otherwise awa azungu alibe good agenda for anybody.Vutonso ife eni sitikonda dziko lathu, sitimakondana ndiye palibe chomwe tingasinthe
President Peter Mutharika: THE COCOA PLANTATIONS as they and howw they are related to the Chocolate Industries of America. Need to be exposed for what they are doing to women, children and the destruction of African families. President Mutharika, I am asking for you help, please. I have a lot of compassion in concerns to what you stated at the United Nations General Assembly. I must say it is pass time and over due for the world to take a closer look to what is not being done for Africa. I thank you for such a touching speech but there… Read more »
You are right APM. Only that you could have added that the investors should start getting ready since thieves, looters, dunder-heads and corrupt fat-cats are moving out of govt in 2019. There will come a clean govt they can dela with
Hahahahahahahaha ok???? ndakunvani wawa
HE speech was dull, his voice rumbling and apart from a stance on the inclusion on the UN Security Council of a permanent seat for Africa, the speech hardly outlines Malawi’s position on major international crises. Malawi’s wrangle with Tanzania on the border over Lake Malawi was not mentioned. Where do we/You stand on this issue Mr. President? Malawi’s position on nuclear North Korea? The Minister of Foreign Affairs just signed the declaration to eliminate nuclear weapons, no articulation was done by the President on nuclear issues. Israel/Palestine crisis, Where does Malawi stand? Terrorism, Climate change (apart from mentioning the… Read more »
I have a problem with reactive speeches that African presidents make at UNGA. Presidents have spoken in succession with no meaningful progress on the continent. The reason is that they fight to paint an impressive imagine of Adrica without bringing in clear evidence of what has worked in your countries. Show the world that you can create enabling environment for economic growth, transparent electoral processes, improved Education systems, motivated civil service among others. Fonts just bluff people with so called powerful speeches. After all a powerful speech is the one that a leader will make in the tone of the… Read more »
it feel so positive about the speech, it was powerful but could have hammered so hard the most polluting countries for their exploitation in Africa
It is indeed a great speech! What remains is for us Malawians to use it and lead by example👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽