Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Zambia signs a US$15.8million economic and technical corporation grant with China

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File: Acting President and Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda

Zambia has signed a US$ 15.8 million dollars economic and technical corporation grant agreement with China.

China and Zambia on Monday signed bilateral agreements in different sectors aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries.

Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Li Jinzao, who is leading a delegation from the Chinese government, signed various agreements with Zambian Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda after bilateral talks in Lusaka, the Zambian capital.[pullquote]While acknowledging the long-standing relations between the two countries, the official emphasized the need for the two countries not to do anything that may undermine the relations[/pullquote]

Among the agreements include:

 

  1. Provision of grants on economic and technical cooperation
  2. Implementation of the technical cooperation for an agricultural technology demonstration center
  3. The provision of solar mobile power system
  4. Supporting the  project of Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia, Zambia’s biggest learning institution.
  5. Hosting of  two  seminars for Zambian government officials in China
  6. The construction of the Chinese Doctors’ residence at the Levy Mwanawasa general hospital
  7.  A protocol on the 15th economic and technical cooperation for the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), which will also include Tanzania.

Acting Republican President and finance and National planning minister Alexander Chikwanda signed on behalf of the Zambian government while vice minister of commerce Li Jinzao signed on behalf on behalf of the government of the people’s republic of China.

Speaking after signing the agreements in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Chikwanda said the economic and technical corporation grant will go a long way in improving skills for the country’s manpower in various sectors.

And Chinese vice minister of commerce Li Jinzao said during the start of the bilateral talks that the purpose of his visit is to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries that have existed for a long time.

“These concrete measures (agreements) will go a long way in improving the livelihoods of the people of Zambia,” he said.

While acknowledging the long-standing relations between the two countries, the official emphasized the need for the two countries not to do anything that may undermine the relations, adding that there is need to continue building up on the relation.

“What we do should be for the satisfaction of the people in both countries,” he added.

Mr Li underscored that Zambia is one of the largest beneficiaries of Chinese grants in Africa.Speaking through an interpreter he said that Zambia’s exports into China hit a record high US $2.8 billion dollars in 2011 adding that his government will work to further enhance trade between the two countries.

He further emphasized the need for the three partners in TAZARA to find a lasting solution to the problems that have engulfed the railway line so that it could start operating normally.

[CRIEnglish.com,QFM]

11 COMMENTS

  1. the official emphasized the need for the two countries not to do anything that may undermine the relations, adding that there is need to continue building up on the relation. This sentence needs further explanations, so it means whatever chinese dictate UKWA’S GOVT. Should follow hahhaha….Anyway Congrats to PF and the team

  2. We appreciate what china is doing for us…..we further wish to state that let them improve road and rail way system for zambia…our roads are so bad that you cant stop feeling for your car….i long for a zambia where we can have tarmack roads in all our future compounds…thanks to Beijing

  3. All this could be managed from our own resources. I am pinching myself did I see right? A grant for hosting 2 seminars for government officials in China! Cry my beloved country

  4. And am sure the Chinese have already chosen which Chinese company will do the projects and pocket the money.
    Yet UKWA was all over RB about single sourcing

  5. And this thing about the Confucious institute of the University of Zambia! Do we really need Confucious in Zed????????? We do not need to import demons into our country. We already have too many from our own ancestors.

  6. Too much small print in this grant, i can guarantee you that any construction projects will contracted to the Chinese firms…this is the Dead Aid…Ms. Dambiso Moyo was talking about, completely unnecessary.

  7. $15m is peanuts. We should be ashamed to accept such beggary gestures as they show that we are a very poor country. We are not. We can easily generate $15m from our own resources, like mining and tourism. Let us operate at the level of the resources God has given us. We are worth billions of dollars. That’s how much we have within the Zambian soil.

    Poverty is a mind thing.

  8. 4.Supporting the project of Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia

    Beware of this belief system. May end up being confused.

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