Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande has praised Zambian Heads of Missions abroad for strictly adhering to financial regulations in ensuring zero audit queries from the office of the Auditor General.
Mr. Pande said government was happy with some heads of missions who have been providing required leadership to ensure meager financial resources are prudently utilized for the intended purpose.
He said Zambian diplomats should effectively contribute to the attainment of the Sixth National Development Plan and the National Vision 2030 that aim at making Zambia a middle income country by that year.
Mr. Pande was speaking today during the official opening of the 2011 Heads of Missions and Senior Management Conference in Chisamba which was held under the theme “Effective diplomacy for sustainable National Development”.
And speaking on behalf of other diplomats, Zambian High Commissioner to Kenya, Christina Lambart said the conference has come at the opportune time when the country is scheduled to hold its tripartite elections this year.
Ambassador Lambart pledged that diplomats will serve the country and its interests diligently for the benefit of their host countries and Zambians in the Diaspora.
She further pledged that diplomats are eager to implement the outcome of the conference which will culminate into an action plan for sustainable national development and international relations.
The week long conference will tackle various topics such as foreign policy, code of ethics, regional and international economic communities among many others issues.
ZANIS
HOW ABOUT THE MANY OF US IN DIASPORA THAT ARE BEING NEGLECTED AND FROWNED UPON BY THESE EMBASSY OFFICIALS?
Zero audit queries? It is not true, there is so much financial mismanagement in the missions.
Is Kabinga Pande correct to say there have been zero audit queries from the Auditor General? How about that diplomat at the embassy in Gaborone who received an advance for a car? I think he is just patronising them as he is a beneficiary when ever he visits these missions. These missions go out of their ways to please him and others such that they do not even touch the allowances they go with.
Pande is just being silly we can no longer be taken for a ride this election year time for MMD to be sent parking.