President Peter Mutharika has asked the international community for over K200 billion for flood recovery in Malawi.
In his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, Mutharika said Malawi needs US$370 million (about K269 billion) to recover from the floods which hit the country in March this year.
He added that his government, in collaboration with the United Nations and other partners, has so far raised US$45 million (about K33 billion) which has gone into food, temporary shelters, relocation and medication.
“But we still have a huge deficit that calls for support from the international community,” Mutharika said.
The Cyclone Idai which hit Malawi in March killed 56 people and damaged infrastructure across the country.
In his speech at the summit, Mutharika told world leaders that climate change is an existential threat.
He said African countries’ efforts to build their economies are undermined by disasters and external shocks caused by climate change.
“And yet, the leading architects of climate change are outside developing countries,” Mutharika said.
He then urged the world to remember its commitment to save the planet.
Mutharika also called on world leaders to declare war on poverty, declare to end education inequality and declare to fight for inclusion of minority nations.
