President Lazarus Chakwera has said his trip to Sadc Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana has been enlightening to his work as Southern African Development Community (Sadc) chairperson.
The President made the remarks on Wedneday afternoon at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe upon his arrival from Botswana where he paid a three-day visit to appreciate the secretariat’s work in facilitating the region’s integration agenda, among others.
Chakwera said:“While I was in Botswana I visited various Sadc offices and from these offices I learned a lot of things concerning how Sadc leaders work, particularly on promoting unity among political leaders across the region.”
Moving forward, the President said he will keep on working closely with officials from Sadc secretariat headquarters to achieve Sadc developmental agendas.
“During my term as Sadc chairperson, I will keep on engaging officials from Sadc secretariat headquarters to discuss topics that will help to achieve Sadc objectives,” saidChakwera.
While in Botswana, he also paid a courtesy call to President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi with whom he discussed the issues concerning fair collaboration in areas of trade, health, education and security, among others.
During the visit, Chakwera also expressed his desire for Malawi to learn how to improve its tourism and mining sectors, saying Botswana has best practices in the sectors.
The President’s visit to Botswana was part of a Sadc tradition for a sitting chairperson to visit the secretariat to understand the organisation to efficiently lead it.
Chakwera took over the chairmanship of Sadc during the Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit Malawi hosted in Lilongwe in August this year. He took over from Presient Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique.
