Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Malanji will represent President Edgar Lungu and Zambia as a whole at this year’s 12th Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of States and Government in Niamey, Niger.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Executive Council in Niger, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the President will not attend the summit due to commitments with other equally important national duties.
And Mr Malanji said Zambia stands to benefit from some AU Flagship programmes such as the Africa High speed train project that will see Zambia being a manufacture of one of the key components of the train, expected to run from Cape to Cairo.
The Minister also said Zambia supports the African Union Commission budget for 2020, as the country subscribes to the principle that Africa should fund its own programmes.
He however urged the AU commission to ensure that there was diligence in the use of resources availed to the African Union in line with the aspirations spelt out in Agenda 2063.
This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press and Tourism at the Zambian High Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Inutu Mwanza.
Meanwhile, the Minister has noted that President Edgar Lungu’s signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) protocol is testimony that Zambia is committed to being part of the envisaged big market that will become operational during the summit.
He said the only process that is remaining was the ratification of the AFCTA agreement by parliament, expected to be done after stakeholder consultations are concluded.
And Mr Malanji has urged the African Union members to avail emoluments for the staff that has been employed by ECOSOCC in order to fully operationalise the interim secretariat based in Lusaka.
ECOSSOC President, Abozer Elligai, earlier commended the Zambian government for the commitment in the relocation of ECOSSOC adding that the decision by Zambia to avail interim offices for the secretariat is testimony of the country’s commitment to ensuring that the relocation was a success.
Several Heads of States and Government are expected to attend the Extraordinary Summit which is dedicated to the launch of the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Zambia’s Delegation to the African Union Summit in Niger includes, Foreign Affairs Minister, Joseph Malanji, Commerce Minister Christopher Yaluma and Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Emmanuel Mwamba.
Is this news?
African-Americans made the struggle against apartheid as much theirs as Africa’s. Where’s the AU’s voice as African-Americans wage their Black Lives Matter campaign? Why are they walking alone? Where’s the AU as Africans drown in tje Mediterranean in a desperate attempt to get to Europe? Joe Malanji looks good in his suit and it ends there.
Really laughable…. “President will not attend the summit due to commitments with other equally important national duties” what can be more important than a job creation from this Africa High speed train project? Lazy Lungu would rather dance in Kaputa constituency.
Jay Jay, RB Mumba, and the other wiser comment section members of LT will agree with me, Malanji should be representing Zambia more on these than the president. It is cheaper because a whole entourage does not travel in such a situation. The Foreign affairs minister has enough embassy logical staff that can go with him, already stationed abroad.
Its about prioritizing rather than state that he is attending to national issues when he is in Kabwe commissioning a private hotel owned by foreigners and campaigning he is better off at State House….do you the skilled jobs that come with speed bullet trains delivery these are billion dollar projects.
Notice Lungu doesn’t attend important Africa trade summits (he also missed TICAD summit in Kenya) but he goes to inaugurations ,funerals and worthless SADC summits?
Our president has no data ‘international forums give him goosebumps.
Speeches at airports to PF society misfits are his walk in the Park …. mfwiti mfwiti.I have a small body but I can fall on you like ton of bricks. Bring the evidence’,Chinje eshati ukolwe.
A lawyer that shys away from debate,interviews with private media ,press conferences.
He is a missed call.
Malanji is a corrupt Foreign Minister who is very dull. Malanji fails to articulate issues and lacks diplomatic charism and language.His face is also somehow frightening for a FM .He should at best have been at Community Development because he is always distributing corruptly acquired donations on CB and in N/Western Province.
Cheap talk, it can only happen when Africans see themselves as one not in the eyes of politicians
Thank Goodness