African Union pledges support in Freddy recovery
The African Union (AU) has pledged to support Malawi as it seeks to recover from the effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Samate Cessouma said this in Chilobwe Township, Blantyre, where she led a high-powered delegation that inspected some of the survivor camps.
“Malawi is not alone in this difficult situation and we came to comfort them and say ‘congratulations for the tremendous work done so far’ but, also, to report to our mother secretariat that there is a need for an African solution. We need to assist
“I am sad to see this kind of situation; it is not that easy to live in camps but we will do our best to mobilise our African member states and our partners to support Malawi so that people living in camps can return home,” she said.
David Claude Pierre, a Malawi-based representative of the AU, said they would meet President Lazarus Chakwera and members of the diplomatic community to help map the forward on the issue.
“I think one of the things we will do is to inform the President that we are here to assist. The commissioner herself came here, which shows the level of importance that the AU is attaching to what has happened in Malawi,” he said.
Director of Preparedness and Response in the Department of Disaster Management Affairs Moses Chimphepo said the visit signified that Malawi is not alone.
