President Lazarus Chakwera is in Doha, Qatar where he is expected to participate in various meetings with the aim of advancing and enhancing partnerships with various world leaders and investors to discuss key areas related to Malawi’s development agenda in order for the country to graduate into middle income country.
Upon arrival yesterday, the Malawi leader was welcomed by Malawi Envoy to the State of Qatar Roy Kachale, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo, Minister of Natural resources, Dr Michael Usi and Minister of Trade and Industry, Simplex Chithyola as well as State of Qatar officials.
Chakwera will attend the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Development Countries Conference in his capacity as Global Chairperson for the grouping.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo said the President is expected to participate in a number of high-level meetings scheduled to take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre from March 4 to 9.
She said the President has been the Chair for the organ and that this conference would mark the conclusion of Malawi’s Chairmanship of the grouping hence the need to participate.
‘’This is not the time for speeches but action, it is a great opportunity for Malawi after three year term to discuss progress made in all the eight priority areas as well as the six focus areas of the Doha Programme of Action,’’ Tembo added.
She said that the Istanbul programme of Action was on high agenda and hence the need for member states to congregate and brainstorm on the outcomes and what transpired during the last conference in New York.
As Chair for the UN of Least Developed Countries, President Chakwera represented 46 countries and is expected to make remarks during the official opening of the conference and later hold bilateral talks with UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres as well as other high-level leaders of International Institutions among others.
Deputy Director of Economic Planning in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs Adwell Zembere observed that Malawi’s tenure of office, has actively promoted the interests of LDCs by facilitating the implementation of the Istanbul programme of action and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development.
Zembere added that the Doha programme of action is expected to guide Least Developed Countries activities for the period 2022 to 2031 and has prioritized a number of areas, such as enhancing international trade, supporting the infrastructural transformation of LDCs and addressing climate change.
National Planning Commission (NPC) Executive Director Dr Thomas Munthali said the conference comes at a time the MW2063 and its 10-year implementation plan require that Malawi graduate into a low middle-income economy by 2030 and meet most of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said that a number of private sector players in developed countries and around 16 LDCs are on the path to graduating soon hence the interfacing will assist in getting practical lessons and support for fast tracking deals towards Malawi’s graduation paths.
Reported by Lisa Kadango Malango in Doha, Qatar
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