Malawi has, on Wednesday 22nd September, contributed on the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76) which is currently underway in Ney York.
Addressing the global assembly virtually from Malawi’s capital – Lilongwe, President Chakwera structured his sentiments around global issues that are affecting the socio-economic balance of UN Member States.
The assembly opened with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres telling leaders that “the world must wake up” to the need for solidarity to face myriad dangers that include pandemics, climate change, and conflicts among others.
In his speech the Malawi leader aligned his focus on Covid-19 Global Management; Climate Change and Post-Covid 19 Recovery from which he alluded to issues of debt relief for developing economies.
In these three thematic areas, President Chakwera strongly lobbied for a world that does not issue hemisphere-based or generic solutions for global problems.
President Chakwera aligned Malawi’s strategic vision to a green-looking economy to be attained within foreseeable coming decades.
He intimated that any future-ready economy must take Climate Change issues seriously. He remarked that is no longer a voluntary urge to deal with this issue at state level, but rather everyone is in it because laxity by one translates to collective suffering.
In his pre-UNGA speeches the President has repeatedly positioned his intention for Malawi to be a Green Economy that creates inclusive wealth through responsible investments that respect ecosystems.
The reduction of carbon emissions and funding towards climate are major issues that are lobbied at global summits, UNGA inclusive, by developing nations.
Chakwera made a call for responsibility in managing Climate Crises across the globe. He asked the big emitters to fulfil the $100 billion pledge to poor countries towards climate mitigation and adaptation.
“Fulfil Your Pledge. Mind you, this is not a donation. This is a cleaning fee, because if you pollute the planet we all call home, it is only right that you should pay to clean it up” he said to the rich countries.
Speaking earlier on, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that it is time for mankind to grow up and take responsibility for the damage we are inflicting on the planet.
“The human species,” said Mr. Johnson, “is nearing the end of the adolescent phase of its evolutionary lifespan. Daily, weekly, we are doing such irreversible damage that, long before a million years [of humankind] are up, we will have made this beautiful planet effectively uninhabitable, not just for us but for many other species”.
The US President, Joseph Biden, announced that his country is “back at the table” to help spur action to “fight for our shared future.” He said the US will work to double its support for developing countries to fight and adapt to climate change.
President of People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, said China will end all financing of coal fired power plants abroad and “redirect its support” to green and low-carbon energy.
In Malawi, President Chakwera says he wants his administration to tie its development agenda around climate-smart policies. He talks of Clean Energy, Green Investments both by government and corporate players, Climate-Smart Agriculture and entrenchment of Recycling/Upcycling industries across all sectors of the economy.
This, according to Chakwera, is in realization that while the great emitters are taking responsibility for their act, smaller and poorer economies must also remain vigilant to ensure that they deploy deliberate interventions to give back to Mother Earth what we have taken for centuries.
©Shire Times
Writers: Sam Dalitso (contributing writer) and Sean Chilunga
Editor: Innocent Ian Marshal