His Excellency Wilfred ALI, Ambassador of the Republic of Malawi to the State of Kuwait on Monday 25th April, 2016 met in audience with His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince and Deputy Amir of the State of Kuwait.
During the meeting, which took place at Bayan Palace, His Excellency Ambassador ALI briefed His Highness the Crown Prince about the adverse El Nino weather phenomenon that swept across Malawi early this year which led to prolonged dry spells and reduction in crop production, a condition that has caused food shortage which will affect about 1.6 million people who will need about 1.1 million tons of relief food aid throughout the year.
His Excellency the Ambassador further informed His Highness the Crown Prince that following this development, His Excellency Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi on 12th April, 2016, declared State of Disaster in districts affected by the dry spells and appealed for humanitarian relief assistance towards alleviating the suffering of the affected Malawians from the international community including the people and Government of the State of Kuwait. Ambassador ALI further expressed Malawi Government’s appreciation for the various forms of assistance the Kuwait Government renders to Malawi; particularly mentioning the support Malawi receives from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for projects in the sectors of telecommunication, transport infrastructure and health which he said are the backbone of Malawi’s socioeconomic development. He also mentioned of a similar assistance Kuwait extended to Malawi during the 2014/2015 farming season in aid of people affected by natural disasters and essential drugs worth about US$200,000 through Direct Aid Society of Kuwait.
On bilateral relations Ambassador ALI echoed His Excellency the State President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika’s commitment to strengthening the already existing relations between the two brotherly countries and he assured His Highness the Crown Prince that his tour of duty will see further growth to higher levels and further consolidation of the relations between the two countries.
Ambassador ALI then congratulated the people of the State of Kuwait for the just ended celebrations for 55 years of independence, 25 Years of Liberation from the Iraq invasion, 10 years of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s accession to the throne and 2 years of His Highness the Amir’s crowning as a Humanitarian Leader by the United Nations.
In his remarks His Highness the Crown Prince wished his Excellency the State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and the people of Malawi good health and prosperity. He indicated that the State of Kuwait has taken note of the appeal for assistance of relief aid and that they will look into it, stressing that Kuwait feels duty bound to assist a brotherly nation like Malawi.
He welcomed His Excellency the Ambassador to Kuwait and expressed his personal support to him to ensure that he succeeds during his tour of duty as he will work towards strengthening the already existing cordial bilateral relations between the two countries.
Malawi enjoys excellent and warm relations with the State of Kuwait. The Gulf Arab State has assisted Malawi from 1997 through soft loans especially towards Malawi’s infrastructural development. Some of the roads constructed with assistance from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development include Mangochi- Naminga, the Zomba – Jali – Phalombe – Chitakale, and the Thyolo-Makwasa-Bangula Road Projects.
