Malawi to host Comesa youth conference

Malawi will host the first ever Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) youth conference as one way of promoting innovation and sharing of ideas among the youth in the region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Emmanuel Fabiano told journalists after President Peter Mutharika held an audience last week with Comesa secretary general Chileshe Mpundu that the youth conference follows a promise the Malawi leader made during the last Comesa meeting.

 “During this conference, a number of activities will take place and all of them are focused on finding ways of empowering the youth in Comesa member States. We believe that the interaction that we had was fruitful looking at the agreement to host the youth conference,” he said.

Discussions on when to host the youth conference, what will be discussed and who to invite are currently underway.

Mpundu said the youth conference will go a long way in supporting the youth through issues that will be deliberated at the conference.

“The conference will discuss where we want to help the youth in terms of setting up innovation and supporting structures that can support the innovative ideas into becoming businesses. Not only that but also helping the youth to link them up and support them in employment and setting up Small and Medium Enterprises [SMEs],” she said.