NAIROBI-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera on Sunday, evening, April 28, 2024 arrived in Nairobi, Kenya for IDA Africa Heads of State Summit, taking place today , at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) – a platform to highlight Malawi’s development needs.
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, His Excellency was welcomed by the Kenyan Minister-in-Attendance Aisha Jumwa, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action; The Minister of Trade, Simplex Chithyola; The Kenyan High Commissioner to Malawi, Callista Mutharika, among other officials.
The International Development Association (IDA) summit is aimed at triggering meaningful conversation between the continent’s Heads of State, in order to secure the much needed replenishment of this cycle – IDA 21.
The IDA is a component of the World Bank who’s core objective is to assist the worlds poorest countries in eliminating poverty by among other things, offering zero to low-interest loans known as “credits”.
The IDA also offers grants for programs that facilitate the stimulation of economic growth, reduce inequalities, and overall improve living conditions.
It is one of the worlds biggest sources of financial assistance for 75 of the most impoverished nations, and is considered one of the most effective platforms to tackle poverty worldwide.
This particular summit is expected to emphasise to the IDA donors and respective partners, the critical priority areas for development financing in Africa in particular, and request a significantly higher level of funding for the IDA21 cycle, to advance Africa’s development strategy and address its most critical issues.
It is in this regard that President Chakwera intends to put Malawi’s targeted development agenda at the forefront of these discussions, by negotiating terms that stand to fast track Malawi’s development potential and by extension put and end to the obstacles that sustain the chronic cycle of poverty that Malawians face.
Chakwera is expected to return to Malawi today, at the end of the summit.
