Hillary Clinton to visit Malawi

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to make a brief visit to Malawi this Sunday as she tours some African countries, including South Africa.

A senior government official confided to The Nation that Clinton is expected in the country on Sunday, August 5 and that she is scheduled to hold talks with President Joyce Banda before flying out of Malawi the same day.

However, in an interview on Monday, officials from both the United States Embassy in Lilongwe and Malawi Government were non-committal on the visit of one of the highest officials in the US government.

US Embassy political officer Stephanie Reed, when contacted on Monday, just said: “I can neither confirm nor deny the visit.”

On the other hand, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ephraim Chiume said he has no information on the said visit.

“If indeed she is coming, that will be a very welcome development for the country. If we get any communication we will communicate the details to the nation as soon as possible,” said Chiume.

The South African Press Agency (Sapa) reported on Sunday that Clinton is expected to visit South Africa on August 7 when she is expected to hold talks with South African International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

One of the agenda items during the sit-down could be the $350 million energy grant under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which was suspended but is now back on track after President Banda took steps to reverse the elements of bad governance the Mutharika administration introduced which led to the compact’s freeze.