By Fostina Mkandawire
Lilongwe, June 24, Mana: Malawi has been given an opportunity to showcase its agricultural sector, tourist attractions and mineral resources by hosting 41st Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in August.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera made the remarks during a Press briefing on Thursday at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe on arrival from Maputo, Mozambique where he attended the 40th SADC Summit Extraordinary.
He called upon all sectors to start preparing for the 41st SADC summit as the country would assume chairmanship of SADC August.
Chakwera said his trip to Mozambique was a learning experience as the country would be hosting the 41st SADC summit in Lilongwe.
“A big opportunity has been given to us as I assume chairmanship, and being the host nation we have a huge opportunity to sale our country in a positive way,” he said.
Chakwera said the summit would give the country an opportunity to strengthen its bilateral relations with countries in the SADC region.
“As I assume this role as the chairman the country will have an opportunity to make influential decisions and regional policies that affect the country,” the President said.
He added that, “We will have an opportunity to have a say in business decisions in the SADC region, we will have opportunity to find market for our farm produce even our mineral resources.”
Chakwera said hosting the summit would come with responsibilities and everyone has to be on top of business in order to yield all the benefits that would come with hosting the summit.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a huge role to play in preparing and in ensuring that all the invited Heads of States and dignitaries would be hosted accordingly.
Apart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chakwera said the preparations should be at all sectors including Departments and every well meaning Malawians.
“Committees have been put in place to foster the preparations therefore these structures have to take a leading role so that preparations should go on smoothly,” he said.
The President emphasized on the need to be friendly to the guests during the summit adding that the country is known for its friendliness as the “warm heart of Africa” therefore this was the time to remind the region of what the country was best known for.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eisenhower Mkaka read a communiqué that was signed by all the 16 Heads of States at the 40th SADC summit.
One of the key issues in the communiqué was the approval of the summit to deploy regional standby force to the northern part of Mozambique called Cabo Delgado where there is insurgency and terrorism.
The summit committed to enhancing research and manufacturing of pharmaceutical capacity in the region, after recognising the disadvantage of not being able to produce vaccines.
The Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Governments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held at Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre in Maputo, Mozambique on June 23, 2021.
The President addressed the press briefing at the VVIP Lounge of KIA and was in the company of the Vice President, Dr Saulos Chilima and other government officials.
