PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said despite the current challenges on the world market due to the prevailing economic recession, Zambia is fully committed to providing an enabling environment for a private sector driven development programme.
President Banda said the Government believed that private investments, both foreign and domestic could stimulate growth in various economic sectors, which in turn could create jobs for the Zambians. Mr Banda said this during a luncheon held in honour of governor general of Australia, Quentin Bryce, at Lusaka’s Hotel Inter-Continental. Ms Quentin and her delegation was on a tour of nine African countries and Zambia is one of them.
Mr Banda has since called for increased cooperation between Zambia and Australia in various sectors of economic development saying Zambia had huge investment opportunities in many sectors. Mr Banda said Zambia had various investment opportunities in the manufacturing, mining, agriculture and tourism sectors and would, therefore, welcome investors from Australia to partner with Zambians in the exploitation of these opportunities. He said Zambia valued the excellent relations that she enjoyed with Australia and expressed hope that they would be further enhanced for the mutual benefit of both countries and peoples.
“We are keen to explore further, taking advantage of the warm and cordial relations between our two countries to cultivate others areas of mutual cooperation and interest,” he said.
The president said the bilateral relations between Zambia and Australia could be traced to the late 1970s and that from that time, the two counties had continued to interact at political, economic and technical levels. Mr Banda said through the assistance rendered to Zambia under the economic and technical cooperation agreement with Australia, a number of Zambians had been trained in that country in various fields. He said apart from capacity building support rendered in Zambia’s education sector, the health sector had also received considerable support from Australia.
He said the Australian government had also extended its assistance to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Zambia. He said the assistance had been vital, as it supplemented the Government’s efforts aimed at promoting development, tackling social ills and challenges such as poverty, street kids and HIV/AIDS pandemic.
On the international level, Mr Banda said Zambia, like other countries in the world had kept a keen eye on strategies and implementation of Australia’s foreign policy and welcomed the new decision to take Australia/Africa cooperation to a higher level.
Ms Bryce said her country enjoyed the warm friendship by the Zambian Government saying the two countries had vibrant democracies. She said Zambia and Australia shared the same ideals of peace and opportunities, which championed human rights and dignity. Ms Bryce said the bilateral relations of the two countries had a firm foundation with 4000 Zambians living in Australia most of who were studying in various colleges and universities. She commended Zambia for the courage it exhibited in trying to find a solution to the Zimbabwean crisis. The Australian government was ready to engage with Africa in a new way.
“We are partners in trade. Equinox and First Quantum and universities are part of Zambia’s future. We are committed to human and environmental issues,” she said.
The luncheon was attended by First Republican president, Kenneth Kaunda, second Republican president, Frederick Chiluba and the wife, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Cabinet ministers, senior Government officials, service chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the business community and some opposition leaders.
On arrival, Ms Bryce inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Second Battalion of the Zambia Army and a 12 gun salute was also blasted for her. President Banda, senior Government and MMD party officials welcomed her and the entourage.
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