Minister Emphasizes Benefits of Foreign Presidential Trips and Highlights UNGA Achievements
Lilongwe, Malawi — The Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu, has underscored the importance of foreign presidential trips, emphasizing their role in reorienting trade and investment prospects for the nation on both regional and global scales, writes Judgement Katika.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Central Office of Information (COI) in Lilongwe on Friday, Minister Kunkuyu addressed the nation regarding the outcomes of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and other critical national matters.
Minister Kunkuyu stated that the recent UNGA session was highly successful, yielding numerous pledges of financial and technical support for Malawi, thanks to President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera's efforts.
Among the significant achievements, the President secured a US$100 million education loan package aimed at supporting 1,000 young graduates in pursuing post-graduate studies in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Additionally, Malawi received a substantial boost for its national social cash transfer initiative, with a US$42 million grant dedicated to funding social protection programs.
This generous grant comes from the US-based non-profit organization, Give Directly.
Addressing the ongoing fuel crisis in the country, Minister Kunkuyu reassured the public that the government has taken measures to ensure the availability of fuel through the ports of Nacala and Dar es Salaam by the coming week.
He emphasized the strategic importance of the Nacala Development Corridor to Malawi, particularly in facilitating the transportation of fuel.
Furthermore, President Chakwera is scheduled to attend the inauguration of the Rehabilitated, Expanded, and Upgraded Nacala Port Infrastructure in Nampula Province, Republic of Mozambique, on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
This event will also be attended by Mozambican President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.
During this event, the three leaders are expected to jointly sign the revised Nacala Development Corridor Agreement, as well as two additional auxiliary agreements related to rail and road transportation.
Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola, assured the public that the government is diligently addressing the fuel challenge, and Malawians can expect the situation to return to normal by the following Monday.