BY DRAXON MALOYA
During his recent diplomatic visit to several European countries, President Lazarus Chakwera engaged in a significant meeting with Dr. Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome, Italy.
The purpose of the discussion is to explore ways to advance human rights and strengthen partnerships between Malawi and the global Community of Sant’Egidio.
Commenting on the meeting of the two leaders, Malawi Community of Saint Egidio’s projects coordinator Crief Daniel says Chakwera’s visit to Rome, Italy demonstrates the country’s commitment to uphold the fundamental principles of human rights.
Daniel says the Sant’Egidio, being a vocal advocate for the global abolition of capital punishment, has actively engaged with Malawi’s government on this critical issue.
“Despite a moratorium on executions in Malawi since 1994, the death penalty remains legally permissible. Sant’Egidio aims to align Malawi with international human rights standards by advocating for the abolition of the death penalty,” said Daniel.
The Malawi Government Facebook page reported that during his meeting with Dr. Impagliazzo president Chakwera expressed commitment to the cause, emphasizing a culture of life, dignity, and restorative justice, shared Values and collaborations:
“Chakwera praised the Community of Sant’Egidio’s remarkable work in promoting peace, interfaith dialogue, and social justice globally highlighting the importance of shared values and potential collaborations.
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“The meeting culminated in a joint commitment to explore partnerships, particularly in areas like youth empowerment, healthcare, and peacebuilding,” reads part of the Malawi Government’s Facebook post.
St. Egidio, a Catholic lay association with a presence in Malawi, continues to focus on promoting peace, justice, and human rights with its School of Peace being one of their initiatives, empowering young people through education, skills training, interfaith dialogue, community service, and support for HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
Ironically, despite a 2021 High Court ruling declaring the death penalty unconstitutional, Malawi’s laws still provide for capital punishment in certain cases (such as murder, treason, and aggravated robbery).
However, no executions are expected to take place due to the existing moratorium as president Chakwera’s meeting with Sant’Egidio further underscores the importance of collaboration in advancing human rights, peace, and development in Malawi.
