His Excellency the State President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) attending the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) 42nd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for 17-18 August.
As part of his itinerary, the Malawi leader will hand over the mantle of Sadc chairmanship to his counterpart, President Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
The summit will discuss how best Sadc economies can promote industrialisation through Agricultural transformation and Mining. The theme of the meetings is “Promoting industrialisation through, agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, and regional value chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth”
Upon departure at Kamuzu International Airport, President Chakwera said he is satisfied with his tenure as Sadc chair as many strides have been made to improve livelihoods of citizens across all the member states in one way or another.
The President, who has been accompanied by the First Lady Monica Chakwera, landed at Nd’hili International Airport in Kinshasa to a warm welcome accorded by a cross section of government officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi.
Welcoming him from the host nation was Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde while Malawian dignitaries included Foreign Affairs Minister, Nancy Tembo, Secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba and Malawi’s High Commissioner to Zambia, Margaret Kamoto, who is also the country’s Permanent Representative to COMESA and accredited to Angola, DRC and Congo Brazzaville on non-resident basis.
He later met President Tshisekedi where the two shared notes on critical issues within the SADC region before they pass on the mantle to each other.
Besides issues to do with Sadc the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen Malawi – DRC bilateral ties and cooperation. They agreed to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange in mining, agriculture, technology, trade and other areas of mutual interest.
President Tshisekedi has also expressed deep appreciation for the involvement of Malawi Defense Force troops in the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in ensuring that peace and security return to the whole of DRC.
In the evening of the day of arrival the President and the First Lady attended a state banquet organized by the host President.
