Malawi President Bakili Muluzi on Monday defended his numerous overseas trips, saying they benefit the impoverished southern African country.
Muluzi, who has just returned from a three-week trip to Asia, told a press conference that his critics were ”ignorant” and that he needed to travel in order to ”engage people”, especially donors.
”You have to engage people. If you don’t travel how do you engage them?” Muluzi asked.
Muluzi held the press conference after receiving stiff criticism in the press and from opposition leaders in Malawi, which is facing its worst economic crisis in years.
Western donors suspended financial support two years ago citing bad governance and fiscal indiscipline, among other reasons.
Malawi’s major donors, which include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, European Union and Britain, have been withholding around $100-million in budgetary support.
But last month the IMF board said it had concluded its review of Malawi’s economic performance and would resume releasing funds around October 20.
On Monday, Muluzi said he had managed to clinch pledges of aid during his recent trips to Japan and Taiwan, including one-million US dollars from Taiwan to support Malawian farmers.
The southern African leader usually travels with a large entourage of government ministers, journalists, lawmakers and ruling party officials. – Sapa-AFP