United Nations commends Malawi
By Deogratias Mmana:
United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Maria Jose Torres Thursday lauded Malawi for sustaining peace and unity.
Torres said this in Lilongwe, where stakeholders commemorated International Day of Peace, held under the theme ‘Recovering Better for an Equitable, Peaceful and Sustainable Malawi’.
Torres said Malawi had shown that it was a resilient society capable of absorbing shocks and steering forward against standoffs as evidenced by the peaceful resolution of differences around the last presidential elections.
She, however, said high levels of poverty, physical and sexual abuse, attacks on persons with albinism and rising deaths due to the Covid pandemic remained challenges that required concerted efforts to address.
“This year’s Peace Day commemoration is, therefore, a sobering reminder that the challenges before us are complex and mounting, and that there will be no true peace for humanity until we all live in dignity, away from fear, hunger and suffering,” Torres said.
Vice President Saulos Chilima urged Malawians to resolve their differences amicably and avoid taking the law into their hands.
“Let us refrain from mob justice but engage the different law enforcement agents and traditional leaders in our communities,” said Chilima, adding that “I would like to encourage you to resolve conflicts peacefully through dialogue and not fighting one another.”
Chilima said Malawians had to reflect on what to do to promote peace.
He said the government realises that peace is key to meeting national development goals, hence including it in the Malawi 2063 agenda.
Civic Education and National Unity Minister Timothy Mtambo said the government had embarked on areas of reform towards peace and unity.
