Beijing, China — The University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) of China on Friday conferred on Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika an honourary professorship in recognition of the role he has played in salvaging Malawi from the ravages of poverty to economic stability.
Mutharika was conferred the professorship at the university's compass in Beijing China where he is to attend the 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit slated for September 3 and 4, 2018.
UIBE is widely considered to be the leading Chinese University in Economics, Finance, International business and foreign languages as it ranked number 2 among universities specialized in finance and economics in the two most recent editions of the widely recognized Netbig Chinese university rankings.
The UIBE is also one of the most competitive and selective universities to enter for undergraduate education in China.
Speaking after being conferred the professorship, Mutharika said the recognition was a symbol of honour to the people of Malawi as they are the ones who inspire him to achieve greatness.
He said as a country, Malawi has gone through numerous challenges that have made the nation not to go back but remain resilient to achieve prosperity.
Said Mutharika, "A couple of years ago, we suffered the worst plunder of public funds the world has ever witnessed before. As if that was not enough, in the subsequent years, we suffered the worst floods and our crops were washed away.
"The following year we suffered a devastating draught and our crops dried. Despite all these, Malawi has made a choice to move from poverty to prosperity and to be a nation that moves away from being a predominantly importing and consuming to one that is predominantly producing and exporting nation."
Mutharika acknowledged numerous changes Malawi has witnessed ever since he took over the reins of power, citing inflation that was once hovering at 34 per cent but is now at single digit, interest rate that was at 35 per cent but is now at 16 per cent, import cover which is now at six months, GDP which was at 2.5 per cent but is now at 6 per cent and local currency which he said is now stable and predictable.
Mutharika said all these are signs of a nation that is on the road to recovery, hence the recognition by the University of International Business and Economics.
President Mutharika received his law degree from the University of London in 1965. He then received his L.L.M and JSD degrees from Yale University in 1966 and 1969 respectively.
As a Professor, he has taught at the University of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania, Haile Selassie in Ethiopia, Rutgers University in USA, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research Program for Foreign Service officers from Africa and Asia at Makerere in Uganda and for some years taught at Washington University in the USA.
