In a surprising twist, President Lazarus Chakwera’s upcoming trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has garnered unexpected praise, even from unlikely quarters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently announced that Chakwera will lead a modest delegation to this year’s UNGA, sparking commendations from Julius Mithi, a prominent Mzuzu-based social media influencer aligned with the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Mithi, while typically critical of the government, lauded Chakwera for what he described as the “shortest UNGA trip any Malawian president has undertaken,” noting that the President’s planned seven-day visit contrasts sharply with the extended stays of his predecessors. “We wish him well and look forward to the fruits of his engagements while there,” Mithi remarked, a veiled reference to the more extravagant trips of former President Peter Mutharika, who often traveled with a bloated entourage, including party loyalists and so-called “handclappers” who merely drained the nation’s scarce foreign exchange reserves.
But Mithi’s comment raises an important question: Will this UNGA trip deliver tangible benefits for Malawi, or will it merely be a diplomatic formality? To explore this, let’s examine Chakwera’s track record from his previous UNGA participation.
Last year, President Chakwera didn’t just attend UNGA—he made sure Malawi reaped substantial rewards. One of the standout achievements was securing a monumental USD $100 million educational loan package. This funding, provided through the Africa-US Presidential Forum, was designed to support 1,000 Malawian graduates pursuing Masters degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence. A move that will undoubtedly shape the nation’s intellectual and technological future.
That’s not all. Chakwera’s deft diplomacy also strengthened partnerships with development agencies. One notable success was persuading GiveDirectly, a US-based non-profit, to increase its financial commitment to Malawi’s social protection programmes. As a result, the organisation pledged US$42 million (approximately K46 billion) towards boosting the national social cash transfer initiative, a lifeline for countless Malawians facing economic hardship. Additionally, discussions were advanced on a forthcoming US$300 million wealth creation project, targeting nearly one million Malawians, all of which stemmed from Chakwera’s strong international relations.
Such achievements were not coincidental. They reflect the goodwill Malawi, under Chakwera’s leadership, is enjoying on the global stage, with the UNGA providing a vital platform for securing such partnerships. This year, the expectations are even higher, and Malawians are hopeful that more “goodies” will follow. Chakwera’s unwavering commitment to “working for the people” and not for personal gain suggests that he will once again deliver meaningful outcomes for the nation from his New York engagements.
As the President departs for the summit, the real question isn’t whether this trip is necessary, but rather, how much more will Chakwera bring home to benefit Malawians this time around? If history is any indicator, the prospects are promising.
