Malawi President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has started his official duties in the United State Of America, where he is attending the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Mutharika first engagement was attending the opening meeting of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit in the UN General Assembly Hall at the UN Headquarters where he delivered a powerful statement.

The Malawi leader addressed the gathering of world leaders for three minutes and he urged leaders across the globe to emulate the example which Mandela set by preaching peace as a key to the success of a national, regional block and the entire world to develop.

The focus of the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit is on Global Peace in honor of the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

This Peace Summit offers the opportunity for world leaders to renew their commitment to global peace, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace-building, promotion and protection of human rights and long-term development initiatives as called for by the Secretary-General.

The Peace Summit will also adopt a political declaration, which will reaffirm the values of Nelson Mandela.