Govt still mum on cost of UNGA trip

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Francis Kasaila yesterday refused to disclose the cost of the Malawi delegation to the 71st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) trip despite being mandated to do so by President Peter Mutharika.

Speaking in an interview yesterday after Mutharika addressed a news conference at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, Kasaila said he was not in a position to release names and the cost of the trip to the annual gathering in New York, United States of America (USA).

However, during the press conference attended by Cabinet ministers and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials Mutharika told reporters that only a few people accompanied him to the US last month.

He explained that while some countries brought large entourages to the summit, giving a figure of about 120, Malawi’s delegation was about 30 or 40 delegates.

Said Mutharika: “I do not have the figures, but I can confidently say that the Malawi delegation was not more than 30 or 40.”

Mutharika said Kasaila was in a better position to say how much was spent on the whole trip and the number of delegates to the UNGA.

However, when the minister was asked to give the figures, Kasaila told reporters to concentrate on what the country has gained from the trip.

Last month Kasaila, at a press conference in Lilongwe, promised to make available details of the trip, including the number of delegates and how much it would cost. n