Malawi President Peter Mutharika has left the country today to attend the first ever US-Africa Leaders’ Summit to run from 4 to 6 August 2014, in Washington DC.
Mutharika will be joining about 50 African Heads of State and Government in high level dialogue and meetings with a cross section of top officials of President Barrack Obama’s administration.
“This is an important meeting which has drawn together leaders and business people. I will do my best to ensure that Malawi’s position on issues of food security, trade and youth is known, and I will also do my best to woo investors to come to Malawi,” said Mutharika on his departure.
Mutharika will be a featured panelist at the first official event of the Summit in Washington, D.C. – the Civil Society Forum Consultation on Open Government.
The panel will be moderated by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power. One of the issues will be a discussion of Malawi’s membership in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and efforts underway by civil society groups and the Government of Malawi to prepare Malawi’s National Action Plan.
On the invitation of US President Barrack Obama, the leaders will hold a high level strategic dialogue under the theme: “Investing in the Next Generation.”
It is expected that these discussions and other side engagements will further strengthen the cooperation between Africa and the US at the continental level, building upon the existing strong bilateral and regional cooperation.
The Summit will focus on three sub-themes: Investing in Africa’s Future; Peace, and Regional Security; Governing for the Next Generation (Capacity Development).
Though invited on individual basis, Africa is expected to speak from a common position on these areas which are of critical importance to the continent’s future.
