Sat, 14 Oct 2017 13:31:59 +0000
By Aaron Chiyanzo
PRESIDENT Ian Khama of Botswana, will grace this year’s independence celebrations on 24th October in Lusaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba has announced.
And Mr Kalaba said that President Edgar Lungu would attend the Great Lakes Conference Summit in Congo Brazzaville on the 19th of this month as a member of the SADC organ on defence, politics and security where issues affecting Congo DRC would also be discussed.
Mr Kalaba emphasised that it was imperative for President Lungu to attend the summit as there were over 5, 000 refugees from Congo who had fled into the country.
The minister told journalists at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) after the departure of South African President Jacob Zuma who was in the country on a two-day state visit that the President Lungu would continue making international trips for the benefit of the Zambian people.
He pointed out that President Khama had agreed to grace this year’s independence celebrations because his counterpart President Lungu had done the same in that country.
Mr Kalaba said that no country could reap where it did not sow hence it was important for President Lungu to travel as Zambia’s number one envoy.
“Someone will say he is travelling again, yes he has to travel. Zambia should make her case known at the summit, remember there are over 5, 000 refugees from Congo who have come in. Zambia’s interaction with the international community should not only be participatory but should get issues sorted out. He will continue travelling because he is our number one envoy,” Mr Kalaba said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kalaba described President Zuma’s visit as a success and that both Zambia and South Africa would benefit immensely from the agreements that had been signed.
