Mutharika arrives in New York with ‘lean’ delegation

Malawan President  Peter Mutharika has arrived in New York ready for this year’s United Nations General Assembly where he has travelled with a delegation which is the smallest ever consists of five ministers and a deputy minister among others.

Mutharika, together with First Lady Gertrude Mutharika, arrived on Saturday and were welcomed by scores of Malawians led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Emmanuel Fabiano and Malawi’s ambassador to the United Nations Dr. Perks Ligoya.

Fabiano said Mutharika will attend several high-level meetings and hold bilateral talks with some world leaders during the session.

On Monday he will  attend the opening plenary meeting of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit and also expected to attend the launch of the Generation Unlimited Partnership formerly the Young People’s Agenda. Mutharika is also expected to co-chair with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown a high level event hosted by the Education Commission.

On Tuesday, Mutharika and the First Lady are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. According to the UN programme, Mutharika will be the second world leader to speak after the official opening by the Secretary General. He will speak on Tuesday September 25 2018   after Guatemala and Egypt will speak after Malawi.

Mutharika is also expected to meet acting chief executive officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation Brock Bierman to discuss the status of the USD350.7 million funded -compact and the eligibility for te second compact consideration.

On Wednesday, Mutharika is expected to attend and speak at the HeforShe summit. On the same day there will be a meeting on the fight against Tuberculosis where Malawi will speak on the initiatives in reducing new Tuberculosis infections. Another meeting will follow on migration and structural transformation in Africa. Malawi will also give a statement on what it has done in ending child marriages at the African Heads of State and Government round-table discussion; and will also give insights of the initiatives Malawi is making in sensitizing the masses of the effects of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Other high-level meetings Mutharika is expected to attend include: Meeting of Southern Africa Development Community Troika Heads of State and Government and Troop contributing countries in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the UN Secretary General; UN International Commission on Financial Global Education Opportunity and is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders.

“At the time when the country is experiencing rapid economic growth, it is the expectation of the Malawi Government that the trip to New York, USA, will tap the much-needed resources to further move forward the development aspirations of Malawians,” said Fabiano.

Malawi’s delegation include Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Emmanuel Fabiano, Minister of Gender, Children Disability and Social Welfare Jean Kalilani, Minister of Labour Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Francis Kasaila, Minister of Health and Population Atupele Muluzi, Minster of Home Affairs and Internal Security Cecilia Chazama and deputy minister of Defence Everton Chimulirenji.