President Hakainde Hichilema has expressed interest in his government to source petroleum products and fertiliser from Saudi Arabia.
President Hichilema says government would like to pursue the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s earlier offer to source the two commodities from that country.
He observed that the move will help to cushion the fuel supply that has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine, which has triggered the continued increase in commodity prices globally.
The Head of State said this when a delegation from Saudi Arabia paid a courtesy call on him at State House today.
President Hichilema said the government will explore various areas of mutual interest between Zambia and Saudi Arabia.
“We would like increased investment from Saudi Arabia to Zambia especially through government to government as well as people to people investment opportunities,” he said.
The President has also requested the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convert Zambia’s debt into a grant as the latter is going through a difficult time.
He stated that Zambia needs the support of Saudi Arabia now more than ever before because she is going through a lot of economic stress.
Mr. Hichilema has meanwhile commended the Saudi Arabian government for the support it continues to render to Zambia in many areas such as the health sector.
“We thank the King Salman bin Abudulaziz Al Saud for his gift of a hospital that is being constructed in the country. We commit that it will be put to good use once completed,” he said.
And President Hichilema has pledged to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its bid to host the 2030 Expo.
He has since confirmed that Zambia will attend the 2030 Expo.
Speaking at the same event, Saudi Arabia Advisor to the Royal Court, Ahmed Kattan, said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has pledged to increase investment to Zambia.
Mr. Kattan expressed gratitude to Zambia for supporting its bid to host the 2030 investment Expo.
He said Zambia and Saudi Arabia share strong bilateral relations and was looking forward to further strengthening the ties.
The photo shoot president. A big failure..no action just beans
Why Saudi Arabia when your neighbor Angola is the second largest producer of oil in Africa? Oh no the answer is the colonial master left this arrangement so we are yoked to it. Africans!
The pictures tell the story in Lusaka. The dress reveals the characters. One race very proud of itself and its culture. They are called Arabs.
Another race very ashamed of itself and wanting to hide behind its colonial master’s culture. They are called blacks.
If the fertilizer and fuel can work out cheaper from there then all the better.
Immediate neighbor we must clarify. Within the neighborhood we oroso have Gabon and Congo and Uganda producing oil.
PF cadres , of Angola , Congo and Gabon produces oil, u had 10yrs to rule, why didn’t u buy that african oil yourselves?
*If
And besides , this Saudi Oil was pronounced by your Lungu during campaigns many times- cheaper oil, cheaper oil, paid for it and the oil never arrived. You must thank HH that his is following up on to failed big mouths for nothing.
Yaba. Why must we always do the same things kanshi? What’s the challenge with procuring oil from Angola?
‘No, it’s been like this for the longest time, we must therefore keep doing it’.
About fertilizer, si Nitrogen chabe iyi? Let’s increase the capacity of Nitrogen Chemicals to produce more of the commodity.
What a daft argument! Because the other government made this mistake you must allow us to make the same mistake??
I think PF anawatambisa matako ya njoka because that 5-Kwacha gas never materialized and suddenly we had a huge embassy coming up. Kaya vimene tizatambako this time. Get ma popcorn tioneko baskopo again.
PF sent their first lady to Saudi Arabia to go make deal on export of goats. Goats of all things.
Compare to deals of the UPND crypto-Government.
Mbuzi Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee choked with shame, thieves in panic mode as arrests will go on till personalised made items of KZ will clarify in cells.
Nigeria are opening the biggest fertilizer plant in Africa. We should support them instead of these slave traders.
For the praise team… PF tried that and it failed… We are just going back in circles
Saudi oil and fertiliser are just alternative sources to be explored…………..
If african producers can not guarantee cheaper oil and fertiliser, why not get some from the Saudis………?
Give the Saudis hudge farming blocks to grow their food in zambia……….
As long as they don’t condition such trade ties to opening more mosques ……….
So brains only work in opposition…once you become President your medulla kabrangata shuts down…HH has become brainless…Going to Saudi Arabia when Angola has tons of oil……HH is a genius mungulu
What has happened to hichilemas plan to revive NCZ…Bally iam extremely disappointed…
With Indeni permanently closed, Zambia needs petroleum rather than crude oil. Angola doesn’t have any refinery capacity, so doing business with them is a no-no.
Muna I feel your pain. Even me I would be frustrated if the man I put all my trust in turned out to be a useless dumb f00I
Yes of course stup!d KZ, it would be in you and your cronies interest if that thieving Edgar China Lungu would still be around. But thankfully Zambians voted him OUT so that chapter is CLOSED
This doesn’t make any sense at all. What happened to supporting your fellow African countries? Angola? Nigeria? Equatorial Guinea? And just the idea of making friends with Saudi Arabia is not good at all. Saudi Arabia has a bad record of how they treat Africans who go there to work as domestic servants. It’s common knowledge that African workers are largely treated like slaves in that country. Please stay away from that country and support your fellow African countries.