Lazarus Chakwera asks Western countries for support
President Lazarus Chakwera took advantage of the Virtual Summit for Democracy, which started Tuesday and ends today, to ask Western countries to give Malawi the kind of support they have given to Ukraine.
The plenary session of the summit was chaired by United States President Joe Biden, with presidents of Malawi, Ukraine, Moldova, Panama, Niger, Ecuador, Slovakia and Denmark in attendance.
He said when Russia attacked Ukraine over a year ago, leaders represented at the summit treated the attack not just as aggression against Ukraine, but against liberty itself.
Chakwera said it was, therefore, important for all freedom-loving countries to support Ukraine.
“My appeal today is that this same spirit be extended to democracies like Malawi that are also under attack from a different adversary: Climate change. In the last three weeks, Tropical Cyclone Freddy has killed over 500 Malawians, with just as many still missing, has destroyed over 40 roads, washed away over 100,000 homes, leaving over half a million people homeless and their enjoyment of freedom and human rights in jeopardy. And considering that Malawi did not bring this attack on itself, but is suffering the consequences of industrial actions by other nations, I ask you this one question: Is it not a moral duty for you who love freedom to come to Malawi’s aid with substantial resources for relief and reconstruction that address the global challenge of climate injustice? I believe it is,” he said.
Chakwera then asked those in attendance to help Malawi in its hour of need.
The President reiterated his call for climate justice.
“That is the only way we can show the world that we are as committed to seeing democracy deliver climate justice in the Global South [as we are committed to other causes]. While we are grateful for the initial support we received, I must commend President Zelenskyy’s approach, for his Government has taken the initiative to first ask us what we need so as to respond in ways that make a lasting difference,” he said.
At the virtue meeting, other presidents spoke on global challenges facing democracy, the need to promote international peace and security, pandemic preparedness and health security, food security and the importance of confronting climate crises, among other things.
