Malawi President Mrs. Joyce Banda has been listed by the Foreign Policy (FP) magazine amongst the Top 100 Global Thinkers, together with greats like US President Barack Obama, Pope Benedict XI (ranked17th), billionaire Bill Gates (ranked 12th), and Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Banda emerged on position 22 . The Foreign Policy magazine published its annual list of “top 100 global thinkers,” and it includes a host of other leaders, Nobel laureates, journalists, economists and academicians.
According to Global Thinkers website, President Banda has been recognized for her concerted efforts in fighting corruption which was rampant during her predecessor Bingu wa Mutharika’s time.
The website described Banda as one rare breed of leader to have emerged on the continent, saying she is “imagining a new Africa freed from toxic corruption.”
Foreign Policy top 100 global thinkers is honored to the world’s leaders and citizens whose efforts in promoting freedom and justice have gone along way into changing lives.
President Joyce Banda
Since taking office president Banda has championed a number of notable reforms which are in line with the world standards among them good governance, democracy, the rule of law and economic prudence.
But despite the President overseeing a number of reforms that are designed to reinvigorate the country’s economic malaise, Malawi has moved in a rough patch over the recent weeks due to soaring cost of living encapsulated by the decision to devalue the Malawi currency by close to 50 percent.
However, the President has moved in fast to allay the fears by sourcing extra funds from key donors in order to cushion the effects of devaluation.
President Banda secured a much-needed $157 million IMF loan in June — a first step toward rebuilding Malawi’s debilitated economy.
And reacting to the development, State House Press Officer Tusekele Mwanyongo told Nyasa Times that the recognition represents “confidence” which the international community continues to bestow on President Banda who has been in office for seven months now.