Mutharika to receive ‘conservation’ award at US dinner

Malawi President Peter Mutharika will to receive an award from the International Congressional Conservation at a dinner which will also see Gabon president Ali Bongo Ondimba getting his award for their commitments on issues of conservation and development in Africa.

Mutharika flew out Malawi on Monday April 13 and said he was going to Washington DC in United States where he said was going to deliver a keynote speech at the International Conservation Caucus Gala.

It emerged that the 2015 U.S. Congressional International Conservation Gala was already held on March 19, 2015 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

But State House press officer Justice Mponda said from Washington DC that there will be a second edition of the gala on Wednesday April 22.

The programme from the organisation website said it will be a Congressional Dinner focusing on issues of conservation and development in Africa. Mutharika and Ondimba will be special guests.

State House press officer said President Mutharika will be honoured for working tirelessly towards trans-border solutions on conservation in Southern Africa.

“Malawi is a signatory to the 2014 Arusha Declaration on Regional Conservation and under the leadership of President Mutharika, Malawi has declared total war on combating wildlife and environmental Crime,” Mponda quoted the statement from the organisers.

Apart from the conservation gala, President Mutharika also said he is scheduled to hold discussions with various world leaders and officials on a wide range of issues affecting Malawi.

Among those leaders to have an audience with President Mutharika are Ms. Dana Hyde, Chief Executive of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Mr. James C. Nicholas, Executive Partner for Global Business Resources USA and his team.

Mutharika will also have an audience with professors from the Dayton University, OHIO, and the Chief Executive of Universal Leaf Company among others.