PRESIDENT Michael Sata has last night arrived back into the country from Brussels after attending the just ended 4th European Union (EU) and Africa summit.
And the EU-Africa summit has ended with a call for investment and closer economic integration of the two continents will accelerate that growth.
President Sata who made an intervention at the summit was accompanied by Foreign Affairs minister Harry Kalaba and Commerce minister Bob Sichinga.
Mr Sata who left Brussels with his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah was seen off at the airport by Zambia’s Ambassador the Belgium and the EU Grace Kabwe.
In a communique at the close of the summit, leaders said they were convinced that the growth of the two continents would be mutually beneficial as both economies remained closely linked.
They pledged to work together to ensure that the growth of one continent would help the other.
“People must remain at the heart of our partnership, so we pledge today to provide them with the opportunities they need. It is the essence of our partnership that we tackle these challenges more effectively if we tackle them together, to the benefit of our citizens.
“Our joint agenda will have people, prosperity and peace and security at its core,” they said.
This is contained in a declaration released after the summit for the Heads of State and Government of the EU and Africa, the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, the President of the African Union (AU) and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
The leaders also observed that Peace and Security were essential prerequisites for development and prosperity.
Conflict and instability can undermine all efforts to reduce poverty and to accelerate growth.
“We pledge to ensure a transparent, democratic, accountable and peaceful environment for those we represent, and to uphold our common values and goals in pursuit of good governance, democracy and the rule of law.
“We commit ourselves to respect all rights and principles set out in the Treaties and Charters that we have respectively signed and ratified, and to work together in all countries to respect our peoples’ demands for justice, reconciliation, respect for international law, human rights, gender equality and dignity, “the declaration read.
The leaders from the two continents said they strongly support the African aspiration and commitment to ensure peace, security and stability in Africa, in the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).
In order to improve the African capacity to predict and prevent
or respond to crises, the EU was committed to operationalise the multidimensional African Stand by Force and to recognise the African Capacity for Immediate Responses to Crises (ACIRC), as a transitional and complementary tool to the African Standby Force for further enhancing the AU’s capacity to respond rapidly to crises, and to reinforce the support to the Continental Early Warning System.
The summit welcomed the progress made to date in enhancing the capacity of the AU and regional organisations to manage crises on the continent.
“We acknowledge the successful deployment of peace support operations by the AU in Darfur (Sudan), Somalia, Mali and the Central African Republic and the collective efforts in the Great Lakes and South Sudan to reduce conflict in those countries, “the declaration said.
The leaders agreed that the Fifth Summit would take place in Africa in 2017
What useful contribution did he make or was he just there for photo op and to make up the numbers?
I like Sata he gives away red carpet to common people, or is because no one is interested in his respect anymore. Ubufumu buchndika umwine.
Coming in the night like ndoshi sure!?
No one really cares about Chumbu Munshololwa anymore.
Have you noticed how people are going about there business disregarding whatever he says. MwineLubemba has been installed, we will go ahead with refering to the New Constitution from now on, his plan to distabilise the MMD………. the list is endless.
He can pretend to be President, but only to a few of his relatives who his given Jobs not the general populace.
yes! some superstition there!,,,,,Dont walk on red carpets in the night…. or thinking that someone might have put some juju there Sata avoids the carpet,,,,,
@nostradums sata is aletina to be witched,thats why he didn t walk on the red carpet…
Of course Sata knows he does not deserve the red carpet because he has a useless team that has messed up the the Zambian economy big time.
All those guys he was greeting are past the shelf life dates and are not supposed to be in government at all.
SATA AND YOUR PF WE WANT YOU OUT NOW!
UPND and HH I am in!
Am glad Mr Sata you told those morons at the summit the truth, that they are behind the wars to Africa if not in front.
@Ndolo: You are crazy, really made me laugh,JUJU?? No maybe the Man feels he is not worth walking on the carpet considering the mistakes made so far. Moreover what the hell the red carpet for in the Night?? This country is backward. All those Ministers?? what a waste of time and government resources. Fuel Plus depreciation on the vehicles.
Welcome come back micheal! All is we. Alexander chikwanda was hear in eastern he has opened natsave bank, chipata-nakara railway line there after he had a provincial meeting with all PF districts officials in eastern @ luangwa house. They have petetion the coming of some sponsored few women to lusaka to ask u to remove mangani which is not the case here its suprise us.opposition at work hear yo exellence
His going and coming out of the country doesn’t mean anything now to the nation. We ‘ve no President in this period we can look forward to when he is coming. Simply stated – He is not missed.
He is back to running the country via Facebook and featuring at swearing-in ceremonies to appoint more useless ministers.
@Patriotic conFusion….. you r right.
Thats whn he is waking up now.
Tho I dont support him. I like his comedy. He left the Red Carpet.
Hahahahah bene Sata.
Welcome sir,glad u went to woo investors and hopefully they will come to Zambia.you were greeting greeting the useless ministers….they are after being called useless still have the guts to line up for u….shame.
the kwacha is depreciating at. fast rate…control it king cobra,economy yayuma, why was Bob with u,relieve him,he has failed,kabimba and kabwili are tired.. retire them in national interest. Chikwanda don’t touch him,he holds the brains of many Zambians suffering,he has put them into the mess and he knows how to take them out….he has really contribute to the downfall of pf.
One doesn’t fail to notice that all the Zambian names mentioned in this article are from one region! PF need to seriously address this tribal nonsense.
@ Zed Panono u r right, Zulu & Lungu r NAMES from the East, Kasanda is from Copperbelt, Wynter is from central Sata is Bisa from Mpika….only HH is not represented b’coz he is from one region….gud observation sir….in every pic there should be tribal balancing, thats gud governance.
How can Mr. Sata come back at Friday night, look at Edgar Lungu, cut-labish!! He just out of Chezntemba nightclub. Where was Mayor of Lusaka another Mr. Sata?
Ba Kilistina balachula, 2 weeks ichilala.
Bwana Edgar is man of “serious“ courage… no know minister can do that to Sata
Rubish.
Please give us news and not this late sata`s news.
We saw his pictures when he left in the night and now we see pictures of him arriving again in the night. Where are the pictures of him featuring at the summit? What exactly did he do or say at this meeting? Anyone with any info?
He was sleeping the whole conference. Is there any news to be found in someone that was completely asleep?
And he needs the whole cabinet to welcome him on Friday night as if he is a King. …when are we going to stop this waste; look at Obama or PM Cameron when they arrive from state visits, they are just whisked away none this ceremonial rubbish.
Whether back home or not, this guy adds absolutely no value to the country and governance. So what;s that supposed to mean not walking pa red carpet? Ati he wants to identify with the common man but his skinny a.s.s is about to jump on a chopper to continue his hybernation mu state house??? Give us a break please!
Hope he told the EU just how much his government has has messed up the economy, the Kwacha has taken a long walk to hell. Very useless president.
agree…on the useless part I mean.
LT this should have been in the back pages and the a Lower Zambezi court judgement front page… we wonder what Sata even did in Europe. .did he confront the EU leaders on transfer pricing or their protectionists trade policies?
Welcome Mr President. The constitution issue has not dead out if that is what you hoped for. By the way, how come the committee of experts from Muchinga, in the name of that chief from Mupika handed over a document to a PS in some named ministry. Is that not insubordination of the highest kind considering that committee was appointed by your sir? May be it is just another practical joke we have come to be accustomed to under your leadership…… Whatever the case we want our constitution, which is human driven and not animal driven. Kamnwile is also expecting you to say his not one of the useless ministers, please clarify on the matter.
Why is it important to have the entire government welcome a fb president? No wonder he refers to them as useless and they are even smiling for him. Happy to have back to insult them? Makakaz….
This blog is full of peasant dander heads. The President arrives at night. It becomes a subject of silly childish speculation. I mean, would you wonder why Zambia is such disjointed place. Exam the presidents flight schedule then perhaps you will understand why he arrived at night. What bloody peasants.
Time has come to get rid of this useless protocol of every minister welcoming the president Ku air port. What a waste of time. Its better for him to be welcomed by his security detail and to be whisked off to state house. The same should apply when the president leaves the country.
Why do we still have people with so much hatred? And this hatred will just bring them down becoz Sata will remain president untill we say its enough ba Kateka, just swallow yo foolish pride and let the presido preside over yo affairs. foolish boys!
The reporting is a bit childish and certainly gibberish. I have a 14 year old who is reporting for a school magazine. The reports in the mag are superb. Can she report for you ba LT?