Friday, March 29, 2024

President Banda calls for trade barriers removal between Zambia, Namibia

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President Rupiah Banda

President Rupiah Banda has urged Zambia and Namibia to remove all barriers that constrain economic trade between the two countries. President Banda said Namibia and Zambia should use common infrastructure such as the Katima Mulilo Bridge to the fullest to develop strong trade relations between the two countries.

The president was speaking during a State Banquet held in his honour by his Namibian counterpart, Hifikepunye Pohamba at State House in Namibia Wednesday night.

He said because of the historical ties that existed, Zambia and Namibia had continued to work closely in organisations such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the Commonwealth, among others.
The president said there was need to use these organisations to highlight problems the two countries faced and help find solutions.

Mr Banda reassured the government of Namibia of Zambia’s commitment to further expanding the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two sister nations for the mutual benefit of the two peoples.He mentioned that one of the areas that required further cooperation was education where the two countries could develop exchange programmes at institutions of Higher learning level.

Mr Banda said Zambia would move fast to develop the Walvis Bay Dry Port which, with the completed Katima Mulilo Bridge would boost trade and transportation of goods and services between the two countries. The president also said Zambia was in the process of expanding the power sector adding that the completion of the Caprivi Power link Inter-connector would make it easier for the two countries to share power.

Mr. Banda said Zambia and other SADC member states have collaborated closely to mobilise resources from the International Community to help the region develop regional projects in transport, energy and other infrastructures. He also called on African countries to collectively emphasise the issues of hunger, poverty, civil strife, unsustainable debt and unfavourable trade practices at all international organisations.

Mr Banda said Zambia and Namibia envisage an African continent free from poverty and armed conflict but it was however saddening to observe that the continent was yet to enjoy total peace and stability. “ Africa continues to be afflicted by many challenges such as conflicts situations prevailing in some parts of the continent, including SADC which need resolution,” President Banda said.

He said there need for Zambia and Namibia to continue supporting continental and international initiatives aimed at restoring peace and stability in some trouble-torn African countries. Mr Banda also urged the international community to provide the necessary support to the African Union (AU) and member states and governments to enable them resolve these conflicts.

He however, said the Great Lakes Region has evolved from turbulence to relative peace, stability and development owing to the commitment of the leaders in the region who agreed to collaborate under the framework of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

President Banda, as chairperson of the ICGLR, urged members of the International Community and the group of friends not to reinvent the wheel by proposing new projects but to finance the already existing programmes identified by the ICGLR member states.

“Cooperating partners should therefore continue to assist in consolidating the new found peace and cooperation among members of the Great Lakes Grouping,” the president Banda said.

And speaking earlier, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba hailed Zambia for the political, material, and moral support it rendered to the people of Namibia during the struggle for national liberation waged by SWAPO. President Pohamba also expressed profound appreciation for President Banda for his personal contribution to the liberation of Namibia especially when he served as Permanent representative of Zambia to the United Nations (UN) and also as President of the UN Council for Namibia .

He said Namibia will remain grateful for the support received from the sisterly people of Zambia adding that their generous contribution was instrumental in the achievement of freedom and the independence 20 years ago. Mr Pohamba said Zambia and Namibia needed to make extra efforts to improve trade co-operation, to enhance people-to-people contacts and to continue strengthening government-to-government cooperation in the areas of health care, education, information, communication technology, agriculture, tourism and development of infrastructure.

He said for SADC and other regional economic communities in Africa , regional integration was a core strategy to accelerate economic growth and improvement in the living conditions of millions who face hunger, diseases and insecurity.
Mr Pohamba reaffirmed Namibia ’s commitment to pursuing the two countries’ common objectives towards deepening regional integration in the SADC Region.

He explained that the consolidation of regional integration required the two governments to work purposefully to counter challenges of human trafficking, organised crime and drug trafficking.

He added that these threats could undermine meaningful and beneficial regional integration and could also pose a threat to regional security.

President Pohamba also said as members of the African Union Committee of 10 on United Nations Reform , Namibia and Zambia had a duty to work together towards a meaningful reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council.
He further stressed the need for the two countries to impress upon members of the international community to honour their commitment for the attainment of the Millennium development Goals (MDGs).

President Banda is today expected to inspect the Zambian Dry Port in Walvis Bay and meet Zambians living in Namibia in Windhoek later in the evening.

ZANIS

11 COMMENTS

  1. People of Zambia look at what progress we’ve had just in one week! TV2 going to southern province, Cheaper phone call rates down by 40%, Roads being constructed, and Now to kick out measles! We are a working govt! Oh there is also the draft constitution circulating around for everyone to participate in! Whooooo Yahaaaaaa! MMD MMD MMD MMD MMD MMD MMD MMD <MMD MMD MMD MMD MMD!

  2. Economic integration Zambians and Africa want is only realizable with effective and proactively engaging leadership RB is offering Zambia today. Bravo your Excellency for your selfless and pragmatic leadership.

  3. We implore all fellow Zambians to keep guarding the gains, ruling MMD, People’s President RB are exponentially recording to the country.. Guard the country against nihilists on behalf of their tribes masquerading as alternatives. Forward with MMD. By end of 2016 when MMD be holding its 25 year of democratic and economic reforms, every hard working Zambian will have earned economic Security.

  4. This will be good for trade. What about the people disappeared where are they as RB was Foreign minister in the KK government? I saw on the post that Justice Sakala refuse to shake Sata’s hand at the funeral of Chiengi. What type of thing is this, I thought zambia is a christian nation. For Sakala toprotray that arrogance at a funeral, he sakala should not have been there. At funerals you shake everybodies hand as you are in mourning. This is unzambia, Where do you expect the young to follow?
    Let bygones be by gones and no politics at funerals. Sakala you have something to hide. You will next so how do you expect people to behave.
    As a judge you have failed.

  5. Ba MMD Chief-on yr list you left out the grading of roads in readiness of the forthcoming Chifubu by-election!!!!!!

  6. # 4.
    You are right.For a Chief Justice to behave like that shows how low an individual this man is.How sad and pathetic!!!

  7. The Chief Justice have every right to shake hands with Satan!!! You PF Cadres cry at anything! OMG how do you make this into a discussion. Some of you wont even greet me when you see me and will be ready to fight! Grow up ba kaponya!!!

  8. #4,6: The Chief Justice showed the seriousness with which he takes his job. Mr Sata has on countless occasions insulted the bench. Sometimes it is important to show some misled people the way so they learn to distinguish jokes from serious issues and not that everything is business as usual. This was very harsh of the CJ but I guess that is the type of character that he is. Remember this is the man who alone wanted FTJ to go for DNA testing. By the way, does Mr HH enter a church? He has always been conspicuously missing from such events.

  9. # 8 Adviser you asked …. does Mr HH enter a church? He has always been conspicuously missing from such events?

    No he doesn’t because he is in a covenant with the devil against the body of Christ. As a Masonite, he would be killed by his fellow Masonic followers if he ever entered church or held a living bible.He only attends some anti-Christ masonic lodges. Its the same reason his marriage is cosmetic and in deep waters. Seemingly he has had some resistance and exposure in his effort to induct her in some lodges.

  10. I was lucky enough to attend the meeting that President Banda held for Zambians in Windhoek. It proved three things to me- 1. V.J is a damn popular man. At the end of the meeting, no one cared to take a photo with Kabinga Pande, Bradford Machila or Prof. Lungwangwa but almost all the young men and women wanted a picture with a true political legend. 2. Zamtel deserved to be sold. Instead of people being armchair critics let them look at the situation from all angles. Prof Lungwangwa gave a detailed explanation why yhe company had to be sold and it made full sense. 3. RB is standing in 2011 and 2016. He said it in a covered but clear manner.

  11. #10, RB can not contest on 2016 because the Constitution says “any one who has twice been elected as President does not qualify to contest for the office of President”. This clause is in the 1996 Constitution and has bben strengthened and entrenched in the NCC Constitution. So RB can not contest in 2016 no matter what.

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