Co-Chair of the International Advisory Council Felix Mutati says all is set for the Global Southern Africa International dialogue which starts tomorrow.
Briefing the Media at Mulungushi International Centre, Venue of the dialogue, Mr. Mutati said three former Heads of State are among Heads of State and government, representatives of civil society, private sector and other stakeholders expected to attend the dialogue.
The former heads of state include Namibia’s Sam Nujoma, Botswana’s Festus Mogae and Mozambique’s Joackim Chisano.
Swazi land Prime Absalom Dlamini arrived this afternoon , while his Lesotho Counterpart Pakalitha Mosisili and Prime Minister of Malaysia are expected to arrive this evening.
About 25 countries are represented in the dialogue dubbed Mulungushi dialogue whose theme is “Smart Partnership in Economic Development and Diversity.
Mr. Mutati who is also Commerce , Trade and Industry Minister said the government is confident that about 400 delegates will attend the dialogue as earlier projected.
At the same briefing , International Advisory Council Member Dr. Sixtus Mulenga observed that participants are drawn from diverse background which will enrich the dialogue on various issues.
Dr. Mulenga who is Albidon Zambia Limited General manager said Zambia needs to learn best practices of conducting business to further enhance the country’s booming economy .
Private Secretary from Malaysia Datl Schoo said the dialogue is a vital tool in achieving a smarter way of solving problems.
Mr. Schoo who is also a founder member of the Smart partnership movement, urged political leaders to use the concept to address international problems such as conflict resolution.
And Speaking at the same briefing, Dr. Basil Spriager , a Fellow from the Caribbean said his country has developed to due the implemented of some of the concepts adopted from the dialogue.
Meanwhile, Global Southern Africa International Smart Partnership Dialogue 2008 Joint Convener, John Musukuma says media briefings for the dialogue will be held on a daily basis at Cresta Golf View Hotel.
Mr Musukuma, who is also Special Assistant to the President, said the facility at Cresta Golf View hotel will be fully equipped to enable the media process and transmit news materials to their various media institutions.
“I am assuring the media that starting tomorrow everything will be comfortable as we indicated earlier,” said Mr. Musukuma.
Earlier, Joint Convener, Mihaela Smith, said everything in relation to preparations for the GSAID is set.
Dr. Smith said so far everything has been put in place and all is going in the right direction.
Zambia is hosting the International Smart Partnership dialogue for the first time dubbed the ‘Mulungushi dialogue’.
Smart Partnership Dialogues afford governments, civil society and private business representatives, a forum for informal discussions on development challenges.
ZANIS/ENDS/CM/SJK
Our problems as a country are unique to us. Text books are there for us to learn from about the theories on SMART plans, and apply to our country issues. What we need to do is focus within our selves to formulate the SMART goals, with the objective of taking Zed into the second and eventually the first world. These initiatives with overtones of ‘partnership agreements’ are useless. How can we be independent as a people when our leaders are dependent on foreign initiatives?