SOUTH Africa has said that there is still a lot of room for improvement of relations with Zambia and attain closer working ties.
And South Africa has announced that its President His Excellency Mr. Jacob Zuma has invited his Zambian counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Edgar Lungu for a State visit in December, 2016.
South Africa’s Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr. Gungile Nkwiti announced this at the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria on Friday when he officiated as a guest of honour at celebrations to mark Zambia’s 52nd Independence Day anniversary which falls on Monday, 24th October.
Mr. Nkwiti said President Zuma and President Lungu shared common views in many areas including the developmental aspirations of the region and the continent, particularly continental peace and security and also on broader issues in the multilateral fora.
He said Zambia and South Africa enjoyed warm and cordial relations which have, over the years, translated to broader economic and trade cooperation including closer engagements at heads of State level with reciprocal visits, the latest high level engagement being last year when President Lungu paid a courtesy call on President Zuma in 2015.
The Minister said it was important to reflect on the progress achieved and identify areas that needed to be improved as the two countries consolidate their bilateral relations.
Mr. Nkwiti said trade between the two countries had increased substantially through taking advantage of the existing Bilateral Agreements to foster relations and the expansion of the scope of cooperation.”
“Our trade relations are a reflection of an inter-African trade that is encouraged in the African Union Agenda 2063. Zambia thus remains on of South Africa’s top three trading partners on the continent,” Mr. Nkwiti said.
He said it was encouraging that Zambia and South Africa have steadfastly continued to champion for regional and continental infrastructure development with particular emphasis on the North-South Corridor which traverses through the SADC, the East African Community and the COMESA regions.
Mr. Nkwiti said Zambia’s attainment of independence in 1964 became an inspiration for other African nationalists who pursued the quest for the total decolonization of the continent as motivated by former President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who envisioned Zambia as a guiding light for Africa’s independence and solidarity.
The Minister noted that relations between Zambia and South Africa date back to 1965 when the African National Congress established its headquarters in Lusaka.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba pointed out that this year’s independence was important particularly it came after Zambia had just successfully held peaceful elections during which President Lungu was re-elected for another five-year term.
Mr. Mwamba said Zambia valued the commemoration of her independence because this reminded the country of the objectives that her forefather’s fought to attain, not only for Zambia, but for the rest of the continent and beyond as well.
“Today we stand proud and we are able to celebrate our day with a free conscious because the entire continent has now been liberated.”
“Zambia’s selfless dedication, through her efforts and resources, to the liberation struggle is well documented and is partly evidenced through our hosting of several exiled liberation fighters around the region who found Zambia a safe haven,” Mr. Mwamba said.
He observed that Zambia and South Africa had continued being close trading partners although there were some areas that needed to be addressed to foster a favourable environment for both countries.
Why is Lungu so keen to join the Presidential Club of Thieves and Dictators? There’s nothing to learn from the perpetrator of Khandla with his 5 wives who has just made his country to leave the ICC. Zambia has nothing to learn from South Africa of Zuma and his xenophobic Zulus.
This little country in Southern Africa IS the mother of Independence for ALL Africans in the Region. Without our agitations on behalf of our brothers and sisters, probably, they’d still be in bondage. It is right South Africa honour our President HE Lungu with a state visit because he is continuing the good works on behalf of the Region. Our President and his team presented well in Madagascar, and we are seeing the seeds of diplomacy already bearing fruit.
Fifty two years of Independence, but unfortunately there’s nothing much to show for it. Newly independent countries are speedily surpassing Zambia in development. And this because we have dumb and corrupt leaders who choose to align themselves with other corrupt leaders. It’s no coincidence that ECL chooses to align himself with Mugabe, Museveni, and Zuma.
@LDetector, it’s clear that you and your cohorts are bitter and go out of your way to abuse, disagree, cause all kinds of dissent. It’s also clear that the bitterness is not from Zambian Leadership currently. It’s from failed opposition Leaders like HH that have tutored and corrupted minds. Zambia is best to revert to a Democratic one party state. We just do not have the caliber of opposition politicians. Nor are the citizens ready and educated enough to understand multi-party politics.
South Africas leaders are no different from Zambians. They are tribalistic thieves wanting to steal public treasury cash for their own pockets. The only difference is that South African whites made sure there is a constitution to make these crimes difficult. Whites protected their wealth via the constitution so Zuma can only steal public finance
Deepen? What the hell is that?
52 yrs of independence or is it 52 yrs of mismanagement and corruption?????
What a joke we are a dumping ground for south Africa goods
It’s spelled as Nkandla. I think it’s a good thing for the two countries to work closely together. In fact all of Africa should be united. Unity is everything. Hats up to Zuma’s government for leaving ICC all African countries should follow suit. ICC is a form of colonial rule targeting black leaders only. Look at what became of Iraq, who’s to blame? But the leaders responsible have never been brought to book but ICC is busy looking for African leaders to imprison. The six million dollar question is why can’t Africa unite and solve their own problems instead of calling upon their colonial masters to come and discipline them. So weldone South Africa. And any sensible African nation should follow suit.
Poor Journalists! You don’t call people by their titles in a news story. “His Excellency” is for his praise singers