![Graca Machel with Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace]()
President Peter Mutharika Wednesday said Malawi is failing to benefit from its own resources as there is no control over them.
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![Graca Machel with Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace]()
Graca Machel with Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace[/caption]
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![Mutharika, Graca Machel, chief government secretary George Mkondiwa and other officials]()
Mutharika, Graca Machel, chief government secretary George Mkondiwa and other officials[/caption]
The President said that makes Malawi and other African countries difficult to mobilize domestic resources for the development goals.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during an audience with Graca Machel an advocate for United Nations Strategic Development Goals (SDG) and founder of Graca Machel Trust in South Africa, he said there is need to learn from the trust on how to mobilize domestic resources.
He said a lot of resources are taken outside the country before the owners benefit giving an example of Uranium which is failing to benefit the country despite being produced in large quantity.
President Mutharika also expressed concern on how the country is failing to earn forex through tobacco due to external factors attributed it to the price mostly being set by the buyers.
“We are about to open tobacco market and as government we set buying price, but they only buy tobacco on the set price the first week of the market season then they set their own prices,” he said.
Mutharika then said as the country we only managed to achieve four MDGs and failed on the other four, but assured the nation that his government is firmly committed to implement the 2030 SDGs.
“We have learned a number of valuable lessons from the implementation of the MDGs, and so we will act differently on SDGs. As part of localising the SDGs, my Government is in the process of formulating the successor of the MGDS II, which expires in June, 2016.
“The MGDS III will be the next national development strategy framework for the next five years, and will incorporate the SDGs that are relevant and applicable to Malawi, together with the African Union Agenda 2063 goals, as a way of aligning our development plans to the international commitment on sustainable development,” explained Mutharika.
He also underlined the importance of linking implementation of the SDGs to the national budget, as well as calling for support from development partners.
Mutharika added that the country believe in efficient coordination and a strong institutional framework, in ensuring ownership by the people of Malawi, and sustained economic growth and development, to ensure that indeed this is achieved and government therefore, is in the process of establishing a National Planning Commission, which will be responsible for the country's medium term and long-term planning.
Machel said the continent should rethink of adding value to its commodities before selling them to benefit more adding that before the commodities are sold they should make sure that it starts benefiting the continent and then those that provided technological and financial support.
She mentioned the importance of region integration saying that working together as a continent can have more benefits on the resources as they would benefit Africans first before they are exported outside the continent.
She also said she would work with government to process a work plan which would facilitate involvement of all stakeholders especially the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the implementation of sustainable Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“The proposed draft would allow series of tips and suggestions from CSOs especially those that work with women, children, youths and the rural community.
“We want the programme to include youths, women, rural community and children because once they are engaged they would take ownership on the implementation of the programme,” she explained.
She said a process would be taken to facilitate the engagement of the youths, women, rural communities and children.
Machel a wife to late Nelson Mandela former President of Republic of South Africa is in the country working with UN organizations and has contributed in the areas of women's economic and financial empowerment, education for all, an end to child marriage, food security and nutrition, and promoting democracy and good governance, through the Graça Machel Trust.
Graca Machel with Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_105323" align="alignright" width="600"]
Mutharika, Graca Machel, chief government secretary George Mkondiwa and other officials[/caption]
The President said that makes Malawi and other African countries difficult to mobilize domestic resources for the development goals.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during an audience with Graca Machel an advocate for United Nations Strategic Development Goals (SDG) and founder of Graca Machel Trust in South Africa, he said there is need to learn from the trust on how to mobilize domestic resources.
He said a lot of resources are taken outside the country before the owners benefit giving an example of Uranium which is failing to benefit the country despite being produced in large quantity.
President Mutharika also expressed concern on how the country is failing to earn forex through tobacco due to external factors attributed it to the price mostly being set by the buyers.
“We are about to open tobacco market and as government we set buying price, but they only buy tobacco on the set price the first week of the market season then they set their own prices,” he said.
Mutharika then said as the country we only managed to achieve four MDGs and failed on the other four, but assured the nation that his government is firmly committed to implement the 2030 SDGs.
“We have learned a number of valuable lessons from the implementation of the MDGs, and so we will act differently on SDGs. As part of localising the SDGs, my Government is in the process of formulating the successor of the MGDS II, which expires in June, 2016.
“The MGDS III will be the next national development strategy framework for the next five years, and will incorporate the SDGs that are relevant and applicable to Malawi, together with the African Union Agenda 2063 goals, as a way of aligning our development plans to the international commitment on sustainable development,” explained Mutharika.
He also underlined the importance of linking implementation of the SDGs to the national budget, as well as calling for support from development partners.
Mutharika added that the country believe in efficient coordination and a strong institutional framework, in ensuring ownership by the people of Malawi, and sustained economic growth and development, to ensure that indeed this is achieved and government therefore, is in the process of establishing a National Planning Commission, which will be responsible for the country's medium term and long-term planning.
Machel said the continent should rethink of adding value to its commodities before selling them to benefit more adding that before the commodities are sold they should make sure that it starts benefiting the continent and then those that provided technological and financial support.
She mentioned the importance of region integration saying that working together as a continent can have more benefits on the resources as they would benefit Africans first before they are exported outside the continent.
She also said she would work with government to process a work plan which would facilitate involvement of all stakeholders especially the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the implementation of sustainable Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“The proposed draft would allow series of tips and suggestions from CSOs especially those that work with women, children, youths and the rural community.
“We want the programme to include youths, women, rural community and children because once they are engaged they would take ownership on the implementation of the programme,” she explained.
She said a process would be taken to facilitate the engagement of the youths, women, rural communities and children.
Machel a wife to late Nelson Mandela former President of Republic of South Africa is in the country working with UN organizations and has contributed in the areas of women's economic and financial empowerment, education for all, an end to child marriage, food security and nutrition, and promoting democracy and good governance, through the Graça Machel Trust.