Former United States President Bill Clinton, who is in the country, today met President Mwanawasa at State House.
Mr. Clinton arrived at State House at 14.35 hours and was received by President Mwanawasa.
Mr Clinton signed the State House visitors book before he went into a closed door
meeting with President Mwanawasa that lasted for over one hour.
Health minister Dr Brian Chituwo, Foreign Affairs minister Mundia Sikatana, Zambia’s
ambassador to the United States Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika and other senior
government officials were part of the Zambian delegation that met the former US
President at State House.
Mr. Clintons visit is part of his four nation African tour of South Africa, Malawi,
Zambia and Tanzania to oversee projects funded by the Clinton Foundation.
The former US leaders visit comes barely two weeks after the current US First Lady
Laura Bush visited Zambia.
The 42nd American President is scheduled to leave Zambia for Tanzania tomorrow
before returning home on Tuesday.
Mr. Clinton, 61, is largely viewed as the ‘first black president’ of America because
of his closeness to causes of African Americans and his interest in developing
Africa.
And Foreign Affairs minister Mundia Sikatana told ZANIS later in an interview that
Mr. Clinton’s visit to Zambia was of utmost importance to the relations between
Zambia and the United States of America.
Mr Sikatana said Mr Clinton’s visit is a sign that under President Mwanawasa’s
leadership, Zambia’s profile has risen tremendously on the global arena.
Mr. Sikatana said Zambia’s continued peaceful environment has resulted in visits by
eminent world leaders to the country.