UN wants Malawi to take Africa leadership

Malawi has been asked to take African leadership in driving the agenda against poverty through democratization, financial probity and peace facilitation.

According to President Peter Mutharika, this is what Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki Moon, asked him to do during their meeting in New York on Thursday.

In an interview, Mutharika said the UN chief wants Malawi to help push for resources to be used for financing the fight against poverty.

“He said this can be done by providing assurances to those giving the help that the resources will be used for the intended purposes,” he said about what Ki Moon raised during their meeting.

The Malawi leader added that Malawi will also need to provide leadership through mediation in conflicts which remove the conditions for development.

“We need peace in Africa because it is a condition for development,” said Mutharika. “In this regard, the secretary general was pleased with the role that Malawi plays in peace-keeping under the UN umbrella.”

The UN boss also said he followed with interest Malawi’s first tripartite elections and expressed pleasure at the peaceful handover of power, Mutharika told the press.

“We therefore can use our ability to hold peaceful elections to help entrench democracy in Africa,” Mutharika said.

This was the first meeting that Mutharika held with the UN secretary general since being elected Malawi president.

He is in New York to attend the General Assembly and he will make his maiden speech as Malawi’s first citizen.