Malawi’s President, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, expressed his appreciation to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the support provided by the UN during the country’s natural disasters. Chakwera conveyed this sentiment during a one-on-one meeting with Secretary-General Guterres in New York, USA, last evening.
Chakwera highlighted that some critical issues, which Malawi believes fall within the UN’s mandate, require attention. He specifically reminded Secretary-General Guterres about Malawi’s urgent need for assistance in the post-Cyclone Freddy reconstruction and recovery efforts.
In March of this year, Malawi was struck by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, leading to loss of lives and extensive damage. During that period, the country also faced the impact of one of the most devastating cyclones on record, with Freddy making landfall twice and causing significant loss of life and destruction. The cyclone resulted in the loss of over a thousand lives, displacement of over half a million people, and extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges, businesses, and agricultural fields that provide livelihoods for over two million people.