YouSaid · the spoken record

Bingu Wa Mutharika,

lines on the record: 95
first: 2004-09-24
most recent: 2010-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“A strong Africa — industrially, economically and politically — is a better trading partner for the G8 countries and the rest of the world than a weaker one. I also believe that the Africa of the new beginning with its combined vast mineral, agricultural and human resources will provide the safety valve for a boiling international monetary and financial system. Think about these things.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In this regard I would like to reiterate the African Union’s request for two permanent seats with full veto powers and five non-permanent seats. The African Union should also have the right to determine the selection of Africa’s representatives on the Council. Once implemented, that would enable Africa to effectively participate in the global governance that the United Nations is now propagating. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm Africa’s strong belief that a reformed United Nations and specialized agencies are likely to play a more effective role in global governance and in a more equitable global trading and financial system. I believe that the United Nations in its new governance role should support the Africa of the new beginning.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The African Union therefore appeals for the immediate lifting of sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Republic of Cuba. We believe that would enable ordinary poor Zimbabweans and Cubans to begin a life of new hope and new prospects. As to the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, the African Union supports the position taken by the Non-Aligned Movement calling for justice and equal treatment for all nations concerned. With regard to the reforms of the United Nations and the Security Council, the African Union believes that for the Organization to be effective in fulfilling its mandate as an honest broker, the proposed reforms must be implemented in the spirit of equity and fairness.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Those efforts in the search for solutions to the ongoing conflicts on the continent are highly commendable. The sanctions against some members of the African Union and the Non-Aligned Movement have caused great economic hardship, especially to the poor and more vulnerable people in those countries. The African Union feels that the ideological justifications, if there ever were any, have outlived their time. Sanctions are also inconsistent with the emerging dialogue for the reform of the United Nations. Sanctions are also inconsistent with the obligations of United Nations Member States to promote social progress and better standards of life, as promulgated in the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“There is general consensus in Africa that that would have a negative effect, polarizing the different positions of the stakeholders and thereby driving them away from a peaceful settlement. The African Union therefore strongly appeals to the General Assembly to amend Article 16 of the Rome Statute to enable it to assume the powers of the Security Council to defer the case against President Al-Bashir for one year to allow ongoing negotiations and dialogue to succeed. On behalf of the African Union, I wish to express appreciation for the contribution of the United Nations to the promotion of peace, security and stability in African countries. The United Nations has performed very well in many parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan, Chad and West African countries.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“More countries should be directly involved in seeking a lasting solution to the Somalia crisis. The situation in the Sudan presents a special challenge to the African Union and to the United Nations. Although some progress has been achieved towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the African Union eagerly awaits the holding of the referendum in January 2011 and the post-referendum structure of relations in the Sudan. 10-54827 18 One of the most immediate options in the Sudan is to consolidate the prevailing peace and stability there. The African countries are concerned that while efforts to secure lasting peace in the Sudan are ongoing, the International Criminal Court seems to push for a pound of flesh by insisting on arresting President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Several countries have conducted peaceful elections, and there is growing tolerance and accommodation between the ruling and opposition parties in many countries. That is encouraging. However, Africa has of late witnessed the re- emergence of coups d’état and other unconstitutional changes of government. The African Union has taken a strong collective decision that those negative trends will not be allowed to continue. The African Union is also gravely concerned that Somalia has had no stable or functioning Government for a long time. That continuing volatile situation is being compounded by increasing organized piracy in the Indian Ocean. That negatively affects not only Somalia and her immediate neighbours, but the entire African continent and the rest of the world. I believe the situation calls for a new approach and new intervention.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I am happy to inform the General Assembly that African Governments have intensified the fight against gender- based violence, sexual abuse, discrimination and trafficking in women and girls. The ultimate objective is to have more coherent and meaningful interventions that will adequately increase the number of women in high decision-making positions in the advancement of growth and development. On peace and security, I wish to underscore that the African Union considers that democracy, good governance and development cannot be sustainable without peace and security. African countries have made significant progress in ensuring that peace and security prevail on the African continent.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Therefore we in Africa appeal for an urgent conclusion of the Doha Round, for we believe that that is essential to revive global trade and to aid in global economic recovery. Any outcome of the Doha Round negotiations must lead to clear benefits for farmers, producers, exporters and consumers in developing countries, including in Africa. Nations of the world must redouble efforts to resolve all impediments to the successful outcome of the trade negotiations. The advancement of women and gender equality continues to be the cornerstone of the Africa of the new beginning. Women have played and continue to play a decisive role in the global, continental and national agendas for democracy, transition and development.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“African Governments have undertaken to launch the four-year Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa. We also agreed to call on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to create a new window to fund maternal, newborn and child health. Let me, therefore, take advantage of the General Assembly to appeal on behalf of Africa to our development partners and donors to replenish the Global Fund during next month’s meeting and to increase resources for maternal, newborn and child health. Another global governance issue of major concern to Africa is the lack of movement on international trade under the Doha Round multilateral trade negotiations. Members of the United Nations agree that trade is a conduit to development in every country.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The leaders of Africa therefore would like to see the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol be urgently implemented as essential interventions to address climate change. Those conventions spell out in detail what is to be done to mitigate climate change. On behalf of Africa, I call for immediate implementation of those decisions in order to avert impending human catastrophe. I am glad to note that maternal, infant and child health and welfare are among the underlying issues of the theme of the General Assembly this year. That calls for concerted action for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. I am pleased to say that the African Union has reaffirmed its commitments to the reduction of maternal, infant and child mortality in Africa.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“All countries in the world are, to varying degrees, experiencing the adverse impacts of climate change such as severe cyclones, hurricanes, rising sea levels and water salinization, prolonged severe droughts and overall global warming. There is enough evidence to show that most countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are the least able and equipped to cope with those challenges. 17 10-54827 The global nature of climate change therefore calls for an effective, immediate and appropriate international response. We need to act, and act now. The international community has acknowledged that climate change is a real threat to humanity, and yet the performance of the major players at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen disappointed Africa and developing nations elsewhere by their intransigency.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The African food basket concept envisages full cooperation between Africa and Governments of the Group of Eight. The United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the European Union and other multilateral institutions will also cooperate in this effort. I now want to briefly raise some issues of major concern to Africa: the adverse effects of climate change, fragile peace and security, terrorism and piracy, maternal, infant and child mortality, and slow reform of the United Nations. African leaders recognize that climate change and environmental degradation are among the most serious global challenges that affect Africa negatively. All countries in the world share the adverse effects of climate change.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In order to meet these targets, the African Union decided to turn the continent into an African food basket whose main aim is to encourage allocation of increased budgetary resources and private sector investment to agriculture and food production. For that to happen, African leaders have agreed to redesign their policy efforts to focus on three priority areas, namely, agriculture and food security, transport and energy development, and climate change. It is envisaged that effective transport structures and adequate energy supply will enhance agricultural production and food processing as well as improve human mobility and the marketing of food and agricultural products from surplus countries to deficit countries across the African continent.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Now, turning to global issues, I want to say that the world today faces the challenge of producing enough food to feed the over nine billion people living on this earth, and it must do this against the backdrop of rising food prices, global warming, climate change and environmental degradation. I am pleased to inform this world body that African leaders fully recognize these problems and have unanimously agreed to institute new measures to ensure that five years from now, Africa will be able to produce enough food to feed its people. They have also decided that, five years from now, no child in Africa will die of hunger or malnutrition.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We have the vision of African nations determined to contribute more to global economic prosperity, peace and stability. I want to inform the world that the leaders of the African Union have decided to unlock Africa’s combined huge natural resources and human capital to establish new industries to create new wealth for our people. That is why this year I have chosen to address the Assembly on the subject of “Africa of the new beginning”. I want the United Nations to share our belief that Africa is not a poor continent; rather, it is its people that are poor. This year, I have come to inform this world body that Africa has decided to shift from Afro-pessimism to Afro-optimism. We are going to make Africa better.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We do not hear about the peaceful multiparty general elections. We do not hear about the high rates of macroeconomic growth in some African countries. We do not hear about the successes in food security in some of them. That is why I now want to present another Africa to the General Assembly. It is the Africa of new hopes and new possibilities, the Africa of industrial, mineral, and agro-processing opportunities, the Africa with new job creation prospects, and the Africa that can produce enough food for all. Yes, this is the Africa I want the Assembly to know. This is the Africa of the new beginning. I want the world to know that we African leaders have a clear vision of a new Africa free of hunger, disease and poverty. We have the vision of a new Africa that is prosperous and full of hope.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Africa also wishes to remind the United Nations not to lose sight of its commitment to fight poverty. Poverty reduction must remain the central focus of the United Nations. 10-54827 16 As we reflect on this year’s theme, the central role of the United Nations in global governance, I am fully aware that the Africa the world hears about is that of incessant calamities and natural disasters. International media report on the Africa of extreme poverty, widespread endemic diseases and human suffering. They constantly portray the Africa of civil wars, genocide, terrorism and piracy. They glorify the Africa of underdevelopment and hopelessness. But in their reports we do not hear about the success stories of a number of African Governments. We do not hear about the successes in participatory democracy and good governance.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I am happy to say that Africa welcomes the theme for the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly that reaffirms the role of the United Nations in global governance. African leaders believe that the United Nations, with its universal membership, is well placed to build political consensus for global governance. They hold the view that the United Nations has the potential to bring about solutions to common governance problems that our global village continues to encounter, such as managing diversity and combating terrorism and conflict. I believe that now, more than ever before, the United Nations needs to strengthen its institutions to enable it to promote peace and stability and facilitate balanced growth and prosperity between developed and developing countries.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I am delighted to address the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly as Chairman of the African Union. I offer my personal congratulations and those of the African Union to you, Sir, on your election as President of the United Nations General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session. I assure you, Sir, of Africa’s support in your work. I pay tribute to His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session for his leadership during his tenure of office. I also commend our Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his exemplary leadership of our Organization and the excellent manner in which he continues to discharge his responsibilities. Africa is particularly grateful for his continued support of Africa’s development agenda.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I believe that, working together, all nations of the world, rich or poor, powerful or powerless, can strengthen multilateralism and dialogue for lasting international peace, security and development. We live in one world. We have the same destiny.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We shall grow a broad range of food crops, such as rice, wheat, maize, beans and lentils, as our way to contribute to resolving the world food crisis. The threat of climate change is real. I believe that the price of complacency will be much higher if we fail to act today. For Africa and developing countries elsewhere, we need to adequately address the issue of deforestation, environmental degradation and agricultural productivity. We need to act now. Let me conclude by stating that we also need a global dialogue on democracy, good governance, human rights, the rule of law and the fight against terrorism in all its manifestations. We also need a new understanding of how developing nations can cope with the shocks of global financial crises and escalating fuel prices.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“At the same time, there are visible signs of improvements in the standard of living of the people, particularly in rural areas. The third agenda item for multilateral dialogue is to manage climate change. Malawi is happy that this matter will be fully discussed at the Copenhagen Conference later this year. At the national level, Malawi is responding to the challenge of climate change through intensive irrigation farming and by moving away from dependence on rain-fed agriculture. The Government has introduced the Green Belt programme that will irrigate up to 1 million hectares of land for small-, medium- and large-scale farmers by harnessing water sources from the rivers and lakes to provide extensive irrigation.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Malawi has a well-organized agricultural development strategy and can contribute to United Nations efforts in this matter. Malawi has, within a short period of time, transformed itself from being a food-deficit and hungry nation to a food-surplus nation. Malawi now produces enough food for all its people, and we are able to export to neighbouring countries. The key factor behind this success story is that Malawi has allocated huge budgetary resources and heavy investment to the agricultural sector. We have also successfully introduced an agricultural input subsidy programme that enables poor and low-income households to buy fertilizer, seeds and chemicals at a heavily subsidized price. As a result, poor smallholder farmers have become more productive.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Developing nations cannot continue to be silent spectators in matters that affect them. Every sovereign nation is an integral part of the global village. Gone are the days when conflicts, wars and economic crises in Africa, South-East Asia, the Middle East and Latin America were the concerns only of the peoples and Governments in those areas. The second agenda item for multilateral dialogue is the attainment of world food security. Food shortages threaten the foundations of democracy and good governance. The United Nations cannot sustain a world system where huge populations live permanently with hunger and starvation. This world body must find a formula whereby the world can produce enough food for all at affordable prices. I believe that it is possible under the auspices of the United Nations to achieve global food security.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The first item on the multilateralism agenda is to reach a global consensus on reforming multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, to ensure the equitable and geographical representation of developed and developing countries alike. It is imperative that developing nations have an effective voice on matters that concern them. Therefore, the United Nations should promote dialogue that ensures the inclusiveness, transparency and accountability that are needed to attain genuine global peace, security and development. The Security Council must be made flexible to allow the countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to have fair representation in that body. The continued monopoly of that body by the super-Powers is no longer justifiable.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I wish to add my voice to those who have spoken before me on the need for effective responses to global crises and for strengthening multilateralism and dialogue among civilizations for international peace, security and development. I believe that there is no longer an excuse for world leaders to be reluctant to move closer together and stimulate debate on how multilateralism and dialogue could be strengthened. We need to strengthen collaboration so that the international community responds effectively to such global challenges as climate change, the financial and economic crisis, food and energy crises, armed conflicts, terrorism and, above all, poverty reduction.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I wish to conclude by stating that Malawi is convinced that, in order to achieve global food security, the United Nations must persuade the rich industrialized countries to share research, science and technology in food production and processing with the poor countries. Furthermore, the industrialized countries should consider funding food research programmes and subsidizing agriculture in developing countries as part of attaining global food security. The global food crisis is not beyond the capacity of the community of nations to resolve. The global policy to create a hunger-free world must be adopted here in the General Assembly. All nations big and small, rich and poor, must work together to eliminate the global food shortages, famines, hunger and 11 08-51839 malnutrition. Together we can do it. God bless the United Nations.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It would also be useful if the international community were to acknowledge Africa’s potential and capacity to contribute significantly to the solution to the global food shortage. To that end, the United Nations should fully support the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, which is chaired by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan. More specifically, Malawi appeals to the Group of Eight countries to support us in creating a green belt around our lakes and along our rivers to irrigate land up to 20 kilometres from the shores. The Malawi Government plans to grow a lot of rice, wheat, maize, millet, cassava, potatoes, beans and lentils for local and international markets.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The private sector in industrialized countries should be persuaded to increase investment in food production, paying special attention to the application of science and technology to agriculture, and in research on climate change and on measures to protect food-producing nations from the vagaries of climate. Thirdly, Malawi believes that the global food crisis could be mitigated if the United Nations, the World Bank and other multilateral and donor agencies were seriously to consider granting subsidies for agriculture and food production as an integral part of their global development policy and aid packages to developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In order to alleviate the global food crisis, Malawi proposes that a compact should be reached by which countries that can produce sufficient food surpluses should be empowered to share with others in the world, wherever they may be, through a fair international trading system. That would ensure that all of humankind has enough food. Secondly, Malawi proposes that the United Nations urge industrialized countries to make significant increases in resource allocation to agriculture, especially food production. Special attention should be given to improving infrastructure, machinery, equipment and capacity-building for farmers, especially smallholder farmers.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The dumping has spoiled coastal lands, destroyed tourism and brought misery to people who can depend on neither agriculture nor on fish in their waters in order to earn a living. The problems I have enumerated pose a serious challenge to global food security. World leaders in the United Nations can no longer detach themselves from those serious issues. We should be part of the solution. First, the Government of Malawi sees the attainment of global food security as a collective challenge. It must be premised on the ability to produce sufficient food and to move it from surplus areas anywhere in the world to food deficit areas.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“That has been the case despite overwhelming evidence that smallholder farmers continue to find enormous difficulties in accessing agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers, improved seeds, insecticides and herbicides. Those institutions also know that farmers are unable to produce enough food to feed themselves without subsidies. A matter of global concern is that food production in many developing countries has been adversely affected by environmental destruction and the degradation of agricultural lands caused by serious pollution through the deliberate dumping of toxic waste and hazardous materials in rivers, lakes, seas and other water sources, largely by industries from the North. That has deprived many farmers of land to produce more food.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Secondly, agriculture and food production have been given low priority by international development institutions in their allocation of resources and investment funds. That has been compounded by low national budgetary allocations to food production in 08-51839 10 many countries, especially in Africa. The recent diversion of food crops towards the production of biofuels has also reduced the stock of food and created food insecurity in some countries. That is further aggravated by the preference of commercial farmers to grow cash crops rather than food crops, thereby creating deficits in food production. Thirdly, there is general concern in Africa that multilateral and bilateral institutions continue to oppose subsidies to agriculture and food production, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“First, during the past two decades food production in many countries has been affected by persistent severe climate changes, such as cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, drought, rising sea levels and desertification. Those climate changes reduce productivity in agriculture and food security. The high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, especially in developing sub-Saharan countries, has also placed such countries at the mercy of the vagaries of nature. It is a matter of great concern that global responses to those problems have been in the form of world conferences, seminars and workshops on climate change, but that not much has been done by way of concrete global action.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“As leaders in the United Nations, we were aware of the signs pointing towards the global food shortage, widespread famine and malnutrition, but we decided to ignore those signs. We the world leaders failed to acknowledge that the food crisis poses a new threat to the stability of the social framework and economic prosperity of all nations, especially small ones. I submit to the Assembly that the global food crisis is beginning to erode and even negate the gains made in national and global economic growth and trade that were manifested in many developed and developing countries. If those negative trends are not addressed effectively, there will be growing conflict within and among nations as the scramble for food to feed the people intensifies. Several factors have contributed to the global food crisis, but I will mention only a few.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. D’Escoto Brockmann on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. I also take this opportunity to congratulate his predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, for the wise leadership he provided to the General Assembly during the past year. I wish to start by stressing that the global food crisis is a collective challenge to the United Nations. Throughout the world, more people are now unable to find enough food to feed themselves. There are increased cases of food riots that, in turn, lead to political instability. The food crisis has resulted from the failure of all nations to increase and sustain the production of staple food crops such as wheat, rice, maize, millet, potatoes and lentils, as well as of fish, meat and poultry.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I would also like to appeal to our development partners to support Malawi’s policy to manufacture new goods and to provide new services to meet the MDGs. We need support to conduct our own research and to apply science and technology including information and communication technology to create new wealth, to build new capacity and to move Malawi from poverty to prosperity.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In the past three years, there have been more women in ministerial and other management positions than ever before. The following key positions are now held by women: the posts of attorney-general, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi, five full Cabinet ministers, one deputy minister, chairperson of the human rights commission, clerk of Parliament and several ambassadors, principal secretaries and chairpersons of statutory corporations. I would like to conclude by stating that Malawi has successfully positioned itself to attain the MDGs. We are optimistic that many of those objectives will be attained. We therefore appeal to the United Nations to recognize Malawi’s heroic efforts and assist us to maintain the development momentum.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Furthermore, the Government is implementing management programmes for the sequestration of carbon, as well as other ecosystem services to encourage the extensive planting of trees. In the area of gender equality the MDGs set out to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women by integrating targeted programmes for women to enable them to become part of economic growth. Malawi has a high level of female adult illiteracy, namely, 48 per cent as compared to 24 per cent for men. However, girls in Malawi also have a high drop- out rate from the formal schooling system, as well as high vulnerability to HIV and AIDS infection. We are addressing those problems. My Government is also empowering women in the political, economic and social areas.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Malawi has a very high budget allocation for education, science and technology, in order to meet the relevant MDG. To date, 60 per cent of Malawi’s children are enrolled in primary schools. We are also creating a conductive teaching and learning environment in order to reduce absenteeism, poor performance and drop-out rates. Malawi is on the right path to achieving the Goal on the management of natural resources and environmental sustainability. We have reviewed our natural resources policies, legislation and programmes to curb the misuse and abuse of natural resources and to prevent environmental degradation. My Government is involving rural communities in the management of such existing resources as forestry, as well as in annual national tree planting for reforestation and the prevention of soil erosion and desertification.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“As a result, 350,000 orphans are now getting nutrition support. That has reduced the negative impacts of malnutrition, HIV and AIDS, such as absenteeism, and many of those affected now return to work quickly and are reintegrated into the economy. The Government of Malawi recognizes that water is life. We have therefore placed high priority on the development of our water resources. We are rehabilitating water-supply schemes and are constructing many earthen dams country-wide to allow rural communities access to clean water. Currently, about 66 per cent of the population has access to safe and clean water. Malawi is therefore confident that the MDG on access to water for all will be achieved before 2015. In the area of universal primary education, the MDGs have set the target for universal primary education for both boys and girls.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The General Assembly may wish to note that the Malawi national HIV and AIDS and antiretroviral therapy programmes are among the fastest growing in the world and that the pandemic is showing signs of a decline. I wish to reiterate the statement I made to this Assembly in 2006 that we should regard HIV and AIDS not only as a medical crisis, but also as having economic, socio-cultural and political dimensions. That being the case, the solution to the crisis must be comprehensive and holistic. I have therefore established a Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS in my Office as a technical arm in implementing the Millennium Development Goals. I am also pleased to report that, from 2004 to date, Malawi has developed a national nutrition policy and accompanying documents as a guide for action.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I am pleased to state that Malawi is one of the few African countries that have been successful in meeting the challenges of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Malawi has also been successful in its public awareness campaign about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its consequences. In 2004, Malawi had 14 voluntary counselling and testing centres, and those have now been increased to 250. Over 5 million people within Malawi have been tested within a period of less than three years. With the support of the Bill Clinton Foundation, Malawi now has over 130,000 people receiving free antiretroviral drugs. Additionally, in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS, we are now reaching over 60 per cent of pregnant women in Malawi.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In the fight against malaria, Malawi has so far distributed about 5 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets to various households. The percentage of pregnant women and children under five sleeping under treated nets increased from 8 per cent in 2000 to 20 per cent in 2006. In 2007, we plan to give out 3 million more mosquito nets with support from the Global Fund and President George Bush’s Malaria Initiative in that area. One of Malawi’s biggest challenges is the management and prevention of tuberculosis, whose prevalence rate is very high, especially with regard to patients having HIV and AIDS. The Malawi Government has therefore declared tuberculosis to be an emergency and launched a five-year plan for addressing the problem.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Here again, my country has achieved remarkable progress, largely through the adoption of the Essential Health Package as the main strategy for the delivery of a cost-effective package of health services through a donor-funded sector-wide approach programme. We are also addressing the challenge to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds by the year 2015 and to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters. We have identified several highly preventable and treatable diseases, such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malnutrition. Malawi is therefore on track towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals. We have reduced the rate of child deaths per 1,000 from 189 live births in 2000 to 133 in 2006.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“For the past two years, Malawi has achieved a high rate of agricultural production and food security. Presently, Malawi has a food surplus amounting to 1.4 million metric tons over and above our national food requirement. We are now able to export food to other countries in southern Africa. Malawi has one of the highest budgetary allocations to agriculture and food security. We are empowering smallholder farmers to access essential farm inputs, mainly seeds and fertilizer, through a subsidy programme. We also support the development of viable small-, medium- and large-scale irrigation schemes to reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture. The other aspect of the MDGs that Malawi considers critical is the reduction in maternal and child mortality.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“We therefore believe that the selection of these top priorities is a good one. We are also implementing an effective system of income distribution targeting the rural poor. I can therefore boldly say that the Malawi Government is confident that most of the Millennium Development Goals will be met or even surpassed by the year 2015. I now wish to briefly review some of the Millennium Development Goals. For instance, we are certain to decrease by half the proportion of the population that suffers from extreme poverty and hunger, and to improve their nutritional status by the year 2015. Malawi has also made significant progress in the past three years in reducing poverty. In 1998, for instance, people living below the poverty line represented 53.9 per cent of the total population. That number was reduced to 45 per cent in 2006.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“My Government has also placed research, science and technology, including information and communications technology, gender empowerment and environmental protection, at the top of our development paradigm. Based on the limitation of our resources, financial and human alike, we have identified six priorities within priorities that we believe can pull Malawi out of the poverty trap. Those include agricultural development and food security, irrigation and water development, transport and communications infrastructure development, energy and power, integrated rural development, and management and prevention of HIV and AIDS. I am pleased to report that the Malawi Government began to implement those priorities in 2004 and that, by 2006, we had achieved a phenomenal growth rate of 8.5 per cent.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The people of Malawi share a common vision to eliminate poverty in the shortest period possible by transforming the country from a predominantly importing and consuming to a predominantly manufacturing and exporting economy. That, we believe, will enable our country to position itself within the global economy and to compete favourably in the world markets. To achieve that vision, we are implementing a sound system of economic governance in both the public and private sectors. That includes fighting corruption, reform of the public and private sectors, safeguarding human rights and the rule of law, increasing social protection for vulnerable groups, and developing infrastructure for development.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)