YouSaid · the spoken record

Joyce Hilda Mtila Banda

lines on the record: 27
first: 2012-09-24
most recent: 2013-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“We are all aware that conflict, instability and civil unrest disrupt our development efforts. As we look forward to the post-2015 agenda, we should recommit to global peace and security. As a mother and grandmother, I felt compelled to make this appeal. Malawi will continue to engage fully in the post- 2015 development agenda. I am hopeful that the voice of the poor, of women, of people with disabilities and of the marginalized will be included in the agenda. I am optimistic about a world of shared prosperity.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“If we cannot uplift the people that live in rural areas, as is the case in many developing countries, so that they can earn a decent income in the household, the vicious cycle of population growth, malnutrition, maternal risks and poverty will remain. If the post-2015 development agenda is to realize its dream, we need to go to the grass roots, where the people are. For that reason, I welcome the idea that under the post-2015 development agenda, we should track progress against our goals by looking at them across all levels of income. That will drive equal opportunities for people across all income groups and help us realize our dreams of shared prosperity. That is key to restoring the dignity of all our people. Finally, let me emphasize the need to attain global peace and security.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That transformation initiative is aimed at modernizing our rural communities by bringing a standard package of interventions in health, education, water, sanitation and housing. The Government has also rolled out the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme, which aims at spurring industry, trade and agricultural productivity through the provision of electricity. The Government is also implementing a community saving and investment programme to promote a culture of saving and building assets to enhance income and wealth creation. I see that leading to the majority of the poor being active participants in our economy.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The issues that affect population growth — malnutrition, girls’ access to education, maternal health — are all rooted in poverty and, particularly, in a lack of income at the household level. If we have to overcome those challenges, we need to promote policies and programmes that bring decent incomes into households. In that regard, my Government has sought new partnerships with the private sector, local communities and development partners in order to deliver development in more innovative ways. My Government is focused on transforming rural economies and breaking the vicious cycle of underdevelopment and poverty. We have decided to invest in improving the livelihoods of poor people in rural and urban areas.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The report of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda provides a strong foundation for a new framework. I applaud in particular the overall vision of ending extreme poverty by 2030. I also commend the focus on, among other things, empowering girls and women, creating jobs, sustainable livelihoods and equitable growth and ensuring good governance and effective institutions. I am aware that many people have argued that the best strategy to achieve the MDGs is to realize growth in the gross domestic product. However, I am of the view that that idea is premised on a top- down-approach. In my opinion, it is income for poor households that must come first.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That created pressure, sometimes leading to unintended consequences. In the case of Malawi and other countries, in our efforts to achieve universal access to education, the quality of education was compromised, yet access and quality should not be separated. We all recognize that the task of developing and achieving consensus on the theme “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage” may not be an easy one. However, we know a lot more today about what works and what does not work than we did 13 years ago. We know that in order to achieve real and lasting change, we must be committed. We know that in order to inspire and motivate action, we must be bold and ambitious. We know that in order to maximize our resources and talents, we need smart partnerships.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In the case of Malawi, the MDGs were localized through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy. Secondly, the past 13 years have taught us about the importance of the linkages between these Goals. A poor family is not just economically deprived. It is also likely to face a host of other challenges such as environmental vulnerability, abuses of human rights and lack of or limited access to essential services. Lifting people out of poverty therefore requires a holistic approach. Thirdly, strong political will and the transformation of partnerships have accelerated the attainment of most of the MDG targets. Finally, I wish to make a cautionary note that we need to be aware of the fact that different continents were at different stages of development when we established the MDGs.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We have identified best practices as well as bottlenecks in the context of our progress. In particular, we have understood that gender inequality and lack of empowerment of women are the common constraints limiting our progress towards the MDGs. In response, my Government has developed a new MDG acceleration framework that places significance on removing these barriers once and for all. In building the foundations for the post-2015 architecture, I want to reflect on the lessons from Malawi’s experience in the implementation of the MDGs. First, I believe that the strength of the MDGs lies in the fact that they are focused and targeted. That has helped us to narrow our focus and concentrate our efforts on the most critical issues while allowing local ownership.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“At the same time, the MDGs have provided a common framework for monitoring progress and highlighting areas of achievement as well as challenges. Yes, they have transformed the way in which both developing and developed countries approach development cooperation. Malawi is on track to achieve four of the eight MDGs: reducing child mortality, combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development. However, like other countries, we are unlikely to meet the Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal access to education, ensuring gender equality and the empowerment of women, and improving maternal health. As the deadline for the MDGs draws closer, Malawi is stepping up its efforts to accelerate their attainment.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Today we are gathered here to reflect on the progress made on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to debate the post-2015 development agenda. Before I provide my reflections, I would like to commend the Secretary-General for his efforts to ensure an inclusive global debate on the post-2015 development agenda. As I understand it, more than 750,000 people from 194 countries provided their views, indicating their readiness for bold change. I am pleased that Malawi was one of the countries selected for the national consultations. I believe that in Malawi and beyond, the MDGs have played an important role in concentrating our efforts around the common purpose of eradicating poverty. They have raised public awareness about unacceptable levels of poverty and helped to mobilize action towards a fairer world.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The reforms my Government has undertaken have been painful but necessary. I am therefore pleased to report to the Assembly that Malawi is registering a strong economic recovery. For instance, foreign exchange and fuel are available, the currency has stabilized, inflation is declining, and industrial production is up from 30 per cent in 2012 to 75 per cent in 2013. Economic growth is forecast at 5 per cent this year, up from 1.8 per cent last year. Furthermore, Malawians are once again enjoying their freedoms and civil liberties, as enshrined in the Constitution. I am pleased to say that Malawi, the “warm heart of Africa”, is warm again, and my Government is committed to staying the course with these reforms. In moving forward, my agenda is to build on the foundations we have laid in order to realize sustainable and inclusive growth.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Allow me to congratulate President Ashe on his election to preside over the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. Let me assure him of my full support and cooperation and that of my Government during his tenure of office. His credentials and experience as a career diplomat here at the United Nations assure us of a successful session. It is indeed an honour for me to have the opportunity to address the Assembly once again. In my maiden address last year, I spoke of the challenges that Malawi faced at the time that I assumed the office of the President of the Republic of Malawi. I outlined my Government’s commitment to addressing the political and economic governance problems that I inherited. I sought to achieve macroeconomic stability and restore the rule of law and the observance of human rights.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“As a new President and a new member of the global community of leaders, I ask for the Assembly’s support as this one African country journeys to realize its full potential — for its people, for Africa and for the world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is for those reasons, therefore, that Malawi joins the rest of the African nations in demanding at least two seats in the permanent category and five seats in the non-permanent category, as stipulated in the Ezulwini Consensus. Africa has to lead its own development, and that will be a step in ensuring that it can. At this moment, I say to the Assembly that Malawi is on a journey – a journey to change its trajectory; a journey to make real change happen; a journey to foster private-sector growth; a journey to be an integral part of the global community. Malawi is ready to take its turn to grow, not just in wealth, but in opportunities, hopes and freedoms for all of the Malawian people.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Secondly, most least developed countries are facing the adverse effects of climate change, which is causing f looding, land degradation and drought. In that regard, Malawi welcomes the recent outcome of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Brazil, where international consensus emerged and agreement was reached on important areas of sustainable development. The implementation of these agreements is very crucial for our future. Finally, on the issue of the reform of the United Nations, Malawi fully supports the expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories. As members of the Assembly are aware, Africa represents one of the single largest regions within the United Nations, and a very significant proportion of issues discussed in the Security Council concern the African continent.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Malawi needs support to attract private investment for the rich potential we have in agroprocessing and mining, among others. We are looking for partnerships to support the development of our transport and communications infrastructure in order to improve access to markets. Before I conclude I wish to draw the Assembly’s attention to the following three issues that have a bearing on most of the least developed countries. First, I call upon the General Assembly to ensure that the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in Turkey in May 2011, will be implemented in their entirety in an effective and timely manner. In particular, duty-free and quota-free market access and supply-side capacity must be ensured to the least developed countries.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Malawi refuses to accept what others may consider to be our destiny — the status of underdevelopment. Malawi is committed to change that perception. But in so doing, my Government and, indeed, the people of Malawi know that we need to engage the rest of the global community. That is why, within days of taking office, I reopened dialogue and engagement with our neighbours, with African leaders and with the rest of the world. The people of Malawi are grateful for the good will that many have shown us, and we are encouraged by the support of our partners. Malawi will continue to need global support in the short and medium terms. We need this support to protect the rural poor from food shortages caused by prolonged dry spells in some parts of the country. Malawi is looking for partnerships to build its energy capacity.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We will facilitate that by making changes aimed at improving the business climate. My Cabinet has identified three specific projects within each priority sector and translated that into an implementation plan for the next two years. The projects range from the completion of essential roads and rail lines, to setting up alternative energy sources and undertaking business climate reform to attract investment into agro-processing and mining. The projects will set our country on a path of fulfilling its full potential. In addition, I have also launched two initiatives — the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood, and the Presidential Initiative on Poverty and Hunger Reduction — to fast-track the interventions needed to address the social needs of disadvantaged groups, especially women and youth.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“My Government realizes that the potential of Malawi — the potential of our land, our resources and, most importantly, our people — is great. But that opportunity will be seized only through our own efforts. That is why my vision is not just hopeful words. Our willingness to take tough decisions does not end here. Our plans need to be translated into action. To that end, within my first 100 days in office, Malawi held an inclusive national dialogue on the economy to narrow down five priority sectors within our medium-term national development framework, the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II. The five priorities are energy, tourism, agriculture, mining and infrastructure development. Central to those priorities is our emphasis on delivery through partnership with the private sector.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Therefore, upon assuming office I immediately put in place an economic recovery programme to restore macroeconomic stability in the country so that we can not only address our immediate macroeconomic issues, but also secure Malawi’s ability to meet the MDG targets. I would like to share that we are certain that we will be able to achieve five of the eight MDGs by 2015. And we will continue to strive to achieve our goals of the three remaining MDGs: universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, and improving maternal health. Coincidentally, these three MDGs are related to issues that I have worked on throughout my life, and I will personally ensure that Malawi redoubles its efforts to make improvements in those areas.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Growth is about wealth and prosperity for all, opportunity for all, happiness for all, political and economic freedom for all. Growth is also about growing the number of children in school and young people in jobs. Growth is about increasing the number of mothers who give safe birth in a hospital and of growing the number of families who have plenty of food. As the Assembly may be aware, for the past three years Malawi has faced severe economic and social challenges brought on by poor political and economic governance, which could have impacted our ability to accelerate the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I can attest to the fact that the experience of a poor and disadvantaged Malawian is intimately intertwined with that of Africans, and indeed with that of the people of the least developed countries. Now, as the President of the Republic of Malawi, I have a vision. My vision is to eradicate poverty through economic growth and wealth creation. Malawi aims to create wealth by transforming the structure of the economy, promoting the private sector in order to achieve economic growth, accelerating job creation and protecting the vulnerable and the excluded within a decentralized and democratic environment. Specifically, my vision is to transform Malawi into one of the fastest-growing African economies in the next decade. For me, growth is not merely related to gross domestic product.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is unacceptable that farmers and other workers continue to toil to make the best of what they have, but do not enjoy the fruits of their labour due to lack of modernization, a supportive policy environment and access to markets; and that they are buried under global tariffs and taxes. It is when those frustrations are in place that conflict takes root. For decades, I have fought these issues in Malawi as a social justice and human rights activist and through my work at the gra-ssroots. I have experienced the struggles of the poor and the suffering of Malawian women. I have championed the advancement of the oppressed and marginalized, fought for the rights of women and children, campaigned for the betterment of the rural and urban poor.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is unacceptable to me as the President of Malawi, as it should be to the global community, that we have children continuing to suffer from malnutrition, or that they yearn to learn but have to sit under trees rather than in proper classrooms. It is unacceptable that a mother should die while giving birth because the nearest health centre is far away, or that thousands die of diseases that we have answers for. It is unacceptable that the youth who represent the future of our world have few opportunities to realize their potential, or that they are not guaranteed a society where they can speak their mind.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The theme of the general debate this year is “Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means”. It allows us to reflect on some of the conflict situations around the world, including in Africa. Those conflicts have a devastating effect on the lives of millions, especially women and children. The impact of conflict goes beyond the people directly involved, affecting the region and the world. Let me agree with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when he said in his reappointment speech that one of the greatest opportunities we have for a better world without conflict is through sustainable development. The biggest threats to security and peace are poverty, lack of opportunity and lack of hope.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The support that I received is a mark that Africa has indeed embraced women’s leadership. Joining the world’s leaders here and becoming only the second female Head of State in Africa’s history, after Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, is a moment of pride for me. However, mine is not the story of the success of an individual, but of a people. A peaceful and constitutional transition of power was not inevitable when my presidency began. It is the courage and determination of the people of Malawi that made it possible. The people of Malawi have made a decisive choice. They have chosen democracy, they have chosen peace and they have chosen to work together to realize their destiny. It is my people’s courage and determination that has taken me to the presidency, and which we will now apply to our national development.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Allow me to congratulate the President on his well-deserved election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. My delegation and I would like to assure him of Malawi’s full support during his tenure of office. It is an honour to address the Assembly today for the first time in my capacity as President of the Republic of Malawi. As the Assembly may be aware, I took office in April of this year after the death of my predecessor, His Excellency Professor Bingu Wa Mutharika. On behalf of all Malawians, I express our appreciation for the support that the world gave us during that difficult time in our country. I would like to also acknowledge in particular the support I received from leaders from the Southern African Development Community and the entire African continent when I assumed the presidency.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)