Malawi President Banda’s next stop London: To attend G8 ‘hunger summit’

Malawi President Joyce Banda will connect from China to London where she will attend a high profile ‘Hunger Summit’ this week to endorse the spate of on-going initiatives to ‘modernise’ African agriculture.

State House has confirmed the trip and said President Banda will be travelling to London at the invitation of the UK government and attend the G8 Food Security and Nutrition Event where Malawi will be unveiled as a country partner under the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition  on June 8.

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition is a commitment by G8 Nations, African countries and the private sector partners to achieve sustained and inclusive agricultural growth to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years.

It builds upon the progress and commitments made in 2009 where member countries and others pledged more than US$22 billion for agricultural investment.

As a country partner Malawi will join Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

“The UK which is the current holder of the G8 Presidency, together with the African, G8 and private sector partners, will host the New Alliance event which will showcase progress, launch new country partnerships, like Malawi, and take forward initiatives to increase impact on the ground,” Presidential Press Secretary Steve NH lane said on Thursday.

He said President Banda is expected to arrive on Friday in London from China where she was on an official visit.

Nhlane explained that the high level nutrituion event in London aims to transform the lives of millions of women and children by reducing maternal and child-under nutrition.

“It will be a day of international action, bringing together governments, business science and civil society to improve the quality and quantity of food available to the world’s poorest people.

“Malawi’s goal is to reduce prevalence of stunting among children less than 5 years of age from 47.1 % to less than 20% by 2020,” said Nhlane.

He explained that among its major political or policy commitments are to review the National Nutrition Policy and strategic plan (2007 – 2012) by 31st December 2013.

Outcomes of the event include an announcement by the UK, donors and foundations of new financial commitments to fight malnutrition and hunger;

The private sector will also announce new partnerships, based on sustainable business models.

The Malawi leader left the country three weeks ago when she first attended the African Union summit in Ethiopia. She proceeded to Japan for international development conference and connected to China where she has sources resources for her newly introduced Mudzi Transformational Fund and signed multi-million Kwacha energy deals.

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