Malawi ready to workwith Brics—Chakwera
President Lazarus Chakwera says Malawi is determined to work with the Brics group of emerging world economies to promote multilateralism and uphold international law in a new and better framework.
He said this yesterday on the sidelines of the 15th Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) Plus Outreach Summit which ended yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In a speech made available to The Nation, the President said Malawi was prepared to collaborate with Brics to confront the barriers that previously denied Africa a stake in global prosperity, including failure to build institutional and financial systems to continental trade and the monopoly that some countries enjoy of multilateral institutions such as the United Nations Security Council.
Said: “In the face of these global challenges, Malawi is determined to work with Brics nations to promote multilateralism and uphold international law in a new and better framework.
“We must reboot the system. We must reboot it now. And we are here to help Brics nations design the software.”
Chakwera also said this year’s Brics dialogue came at a critical time for countries in the Global South, some of which are still struggling to recover from the consecutive global crises of Covid-19 pandemic, climate change impacts and the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the President concluded his Brics schedule yesterday by meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping where he conveyed Malawi’s gratitude for the “consistent and valuable assistance provided by the Chinese Government”.
Chakwera specifically cited China’s decision last year to write off a K5.5 billion non-interest loan owed by the Malawi Government as part of Beijing’s response and commitment to foster stronger economic ties with Lilongwe.
Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the debt relief during the 2022 edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Conference held virtually, in which Chakwera participated.
C h a k w e r a a l s o commended China’s commitment to support the construction of the new Judiciary office complex in Lilongwe, having previously supported the construction of Parliament Building and the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe as well the Malawi University of Science and Technology in Thyolo.
O n h i s p a r t , X i acknowledged Malawis support of the One-China Policy and Chakwera’s participation at the just-ended Brics and other multilateral fora where he advocates for the interests of developing nations.
Over 30 African Heads of State and Government participated in the three-day summit along with several invited leaders and dignitaries from the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, South Asia and South-east Asia.
Brics was founded in June 2009 to improve the economies of member countries and is currently viewed as an alternative to Western economic dominance.
