President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has left the country for New York, the United States of America to attend the 78th UN General Assembly.

Speaking before departure at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, President Chakwera said the UN General Assembly gives Malawi an opportunity to review the progress made in terms of realising the Sustainable Development Goals.

He said: “This UN General Assembly gives us an opportunity to review where we are in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

President Chakwera also indicated that he will use his visit to the United States to lobby for assistance from partners to help Malawi in the reconstruction programme following the devastation left by Cyclone Freddy early this year.

“On the sidelines of this great UN General Assembly we want to focus on Malawi’s reconstruction,” said President Chakwera

While in the United State, President Chakwera will perform several official engagements. According to the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Chakwera is expected to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit Meeting and the Millennium Challenge Cooperation Compact Meeting on Monday 18 September.

On 19th September, the Malawi Head of State will attend the African Investment Forum Meeting which will be followed by the Democracy Delivers Summit on Wednesday 20th September.

The theme for this year’s UN General Assembly is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and its Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.