President Hakainde Hichilema has returned from a state visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, where he met with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to strengthen economic cooperation and explore new opportunities for investment and trade between the two nations.
During the visit, President Hichilema engaged in high-level discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, emphasizing the strides Egypt has made in infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, and healthcare. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fostering deeper economic ties through joint public-private ventures. The visit concluded with a joint press briefing, during which several Memoranda of Understanding were signed to facilitate collaboration in multiple sectors.
As part of the trip, President Hichilema toured Egypt’s renowned historical sites, including the Great Pyramids of Giza—structures that have stood for nearly 5,000 years and remain one of the last surviving Wonders of the Ancient World. Reflecting on Egypt’s successful preservation of its cultural heritage, he noted the importance of tourism as a driver of economic growth and expressed interest in how Zambia could adopt similar strategies to enhance its own tourism sector.
Another significant visit included Egypt’s Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute in Cairo. Established in 1903, the institute is a leader in veterinary vaccine research and production. Given Zambia’s goal of eradicating livestock diseases to strengthen its agricultural exports, the President expressed optimism about forging partnerships with Egyptian institutions to improve vaccine production and disease prevention efforts in Zambia.
“Our visit has been fruitful, and Zambians can expect meaningful progress in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, and energy,” President Hichilema stated. “We also recognize and commend the over 40 Zambian companies that participated in the Egypt-Zambia Business Forum, creating new trade and investment opportunities.”
Beyond government initiatives, the President highlighted Egypt’s ambitious infrastructure projects, including the construction of a new Administrative Capital in Cairo. Inspired by the scale and efficiency of these developments, he reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to pursuing similar large-scale projects through strategic partnerships.
As the delegation departed Egypt, President Hichilema expressed gratitude to President el-Sisi for the invitation and extended his appreciation to Zambians for their support. He called on citizens to continue supporting efforts that drive national development and economic growth.
Such ties have been there from time immemorial but as usual little to no trickle down benefit to the common man. The common man continues wallowing in Zambia for 60 years and a record worse off since 2021
Nuff of the MoUs; now let’s move into implementation mode mukwai.
Ties can be strengthened but work has to be
Done by Zambians.So let’s concentrate on how
Zambians can be given all the resources and
Tax incentives to develop their country.