Clinton demonstrates international community’s confidence in Malawi

A local political commentator has said Sunday’s visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was a milestone because it demonstrated that the international community now has confidence in Malawi.

“As you know, soon after ascending to the presidency, Joyce Banda travelled to the US during a meeting by women world leaders, and I think this visit by US Secretary of State is a reciprocal of that visit,” said the political commentator.

The political analyst also said he expected Clinton to encourage the Malawi leader to continue with the path of democracy that she has taken since assuming the presidency in April this year.

Kick-starting her seven-nation Africa tour in Senegal on 1st August, 2012, the US Secretary of State warned African leaders against undemocratic tendencies.

The Reuters quoted Clinton as saying, “There’re still too many Africans living under autocratic rulers who care about preserving their grip on power than promoting the welfare of their citizens.”

The US Secretary of State, who jetted into the country Sunday morning through Kamuzu International Airport was welcomed by Vice President Khumbo Kachali and later briefly met President Banda.

The US Secretary of State also visited US-supported projects in the country: namely, a girls’ education project and an agriculture project under Feed the Future in Lilongwe.

From Malawi Clinton proceeded to South Africa and from there was expected to travel to Ghana to attend the burial of that country’s president late John Atta Mills on 10 August.