Minister of National Unity asks for support on Peace and Unity Bill

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Minister of National Unity Timothy Mtambo has asked Members of Parliament to support the Peace and Unity Bill which the minister will present in Parliament during the current sitting.

Mtambo made the statement on Wednesday during a meeting with Legal Affairs Parliamentary Committee and Chairpersons from other committees in Lilongwe.

The minister said that once the bill is adopted into law, it will facilitate the establishment of a mechanism for fostering peace and unity in Malawi including the establishment of the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission and District Peace and Unity Committees.

He added that the enactment of the Bill will place Malawi amongst a handful of proactive countries that are leading in building national institutions and mechanisms for the use of non-violent means of maintaining peace, preventing, managing and resolving conflicts at both national and community levels.

“We do not have to wait for conflicts to get out of hand before we come out to address them. This Bill is that great opportunity to build new structures for the furtherance of Peace and Unity in this Warm Heart of Africa,” said Mtambo.

Getachew

He added: “Your support will ensure that Malawi is peaceful and conducive for development as you all know that peace is a critical factor for any kind of development, in line with Malawi Development Agenda 2063, and UN’s inspired Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

On his part, UNDP Resident Representative Challa Getachew commended Malawi for coming up with the bill saying it is an important process where Malawi as a United Nations Member State reaffirms its commitment to peacebuilding processes.

Getachew added that Malawi has a global reputation for being a peace-loving and stable country but experience has taught the country that it can never rest on laurels when it comes to ensuring that the peace and stability will be a permanent feature in any country.

“Approaches to preventing conflict have been refined considerably. As policy and practice on peacebuilding have evolved, the UN, its Member States and other partners are increasingly looking to prevention as a critical strategy for sustaining peace and nurturing development,” he said.

He then noted that as it has been demonstrated in countries like Ghana, the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission offers a platform for consultation and cooperation among main stakeholders to promote reconciliation, tolerance, trust and confidence-building, mediation, and dialogue.

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