United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator (ASG/DERC) Kyung-wha Kang will be visiting Malawi from 16 to 18 July to assess the current humanitarian situation in the country.

The development comes barely two days after the launch of 2016/17 National Food Insecurity Response Plan at Kamuzu Palace by President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.

According to a press release from the UN, while in the country, Kang will meet the Vice President of Malawi Saulos Klaus Chilima, Government officials, Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs and the diplomatic community.

The visit by the top UN Envoy will enable her create increased international awareness of the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in Malawi and a common understanding of the potential risks in the coming months on the worsening impact of climatic conditions (El Nino and La Nina).

She is also expected to go to on a field visit to Balaka one of the drought worst hit areas.

The UN statement noted that multiple disasters that Malawi has endured in the recent past years have still not attracted sufficient international attention to support the mobilization of the necessary resources to respond to the situation.

Malawi has been severely impacted by the El Niño weather event; as evidenced by the drought which hit the southern region and flooding in the north.