The Industrialization strategy and roadmap 2015-2063 which provides a clear framework for industrialization, economic diversification, productivity improvement, innovation, employment generation and market integration was approved by an extra-ordinary summit in Harare in April this year.
President Lungu noted that the transformation agenda fully supports the African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations sustainable development Goals adding that Africa will only become stronger if countries come together through regional cooperation and integration.
The President disclosed that Zambia is in the process of ratifying the treaty establishing the tripartite free trade area encompassing SADC, COMESA and East African Community which he said Cabinet has already approved.
He said government is also actively involved in the on-going negotiations to create an Africa Free Trade Area by 2017 noting that if successfully implemented, the efforts would transform the African continent into a major player in the global economy.
The Head of State was speaking during the state Banquet hosted in honor of King Mswati III of Swaziland who is in the country to grace Zambia’s 51st Independence celebrations.
President Lungu said Zambia and Swaziland enjoy warm bilateral relations that date back to the era of two countries’ independence liberation.
Mr Lungu called for strengthening of ties between the two southern African countries because Zambia and Swaziland share a common history and aspirations.
And King Mswati III commended President Lungu and his government for responding to people’s aspirations through numerous infrastructure developments taking place in the country.
The King said he was impressed to see numerous pieces of infrastructure that have been developed along the great East Road as he arrived in the country through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
The visiting King who is also Deputy Chairperson for SADC said Africa can only develop if the Free Trade Area is implemented so that countries can trade with each other with no restrictions.
He said his country enjoys the ties it has with Zambia because of the many benefits that Swaziland gets from the cordial relations.
He stated that Zambia has helped his country develop soccer to the current standard because most of the coaches in Swaziland are Zambians.
The State banquet was attended by First President Kenneth Kaunda, Vice President Inonge Wina, Cabinet Ministers and other senior government officials.
Spot on Mr. President!
One of the major reasons African countries cannot excel economically is that they are dependent on foreign commodities. We have more than enough arable land, we have oil and plenty other resources so we can easily afford to grow on our own back.
It is time to start using a common song sheet. It is the way that Europeans and Asians have moved on and it is the only way that we can excel as a continent.
In 50 years what about us now mr president. We are waiting for our salaries for September.
@ Nine Chale
Have you understood what did he meant when stating “…free trade can transform Africa…”?
Just singing praise without understanding meaning.
For your “song sheet”, free trade means FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS IN BOTH DIRECTION
hahahaha free trade… I wonder what you will be exporting
in the picture, in terms of attire; you have a free african and an overdressed mimic of white culture. Even on the day of our independence we cant even wear our own african attire. Africa is dieing everyday we use the language am using to write here;everytime we give foreign names like edgar,michael,rupiah,levy,frederick,kenneth,victoria fall;everytime we worship foreign gods like jesus,allah,buddha and others;everytime we teach our children using a foreign education system which propagates their race like columbus discovered america;everytime we turn on the tv and subject our children to mind programing by showing 98% of the time white foreign culture then wonder why our children dress the way they do.oh and i tried to post in bemba but LT doesnt allow long vernacular posts. HB Zambia!!
Ba Zagaze – What is African about Mswati’s attire – exposure? That is a western material bwana!!
Brother! leave Jesus alone, Thou shall not mention the name of God in vain………
@zagaze,
You are right and I would have loved to see you dressed in our ancestral life style. When you mention of Independence then your liberation sounds to go back to our roots of worshiping gods of our forefathers. I would have loved to see you showing us the dear loving worship of that time. God was called, Nyambi, Nzambi, Lesa, Mulungu, Kalunga, Leza, etc, but what is the name of our Religion?
Our traditional wear is chitenge. Dont be fooled that the white man gave you clothing. Besides we would have developed to wear other types of wear even if the whiteman never came just like what mswati has on. Dont forget that! Africans never had religion,we had spirituality. So we dont have to call it anything like christianity or islam. Chiuta is the god of the tumbuka people. Chiuta means a bow from rainbow. We believe that god shows himself predominantly through the rainbow . the different colors and combinations thereof of the rainbow show the diverse nature of chiuta.this is african spirituality. An understanding of god from our own perspective not something force fed to us about a whiteman dieing for sins i didnt even make in the beginning.
Zagaze you started well with your explanation and you lost it the moment you included God in it. every time you want to have a meaningful conversation avoid criticizing what you don’t know… you say forced?? you have your independence now why don’t you go back to looking at the rainbow? ha-ha and your tradition only starts after the chitenge industry?
Mr presido, before you go signing treaties without studying the implications, remember Zambia does not manufacture anything. It is a big shopping mall for forigne goods.
Get it done! Free trade – truly free trade will greatly benefit this country and the whole continent. There is no reason Africa cant be exporting to America, Europe, and Asia — quality goods, manufactured here, that compete in our African market and in the world market. Let us work with dignity and Christ honoring integrity to make this nation better for our children..
“…The President disclosed that Zambia is in the process of ratifying the treaty establishing the tripartite free trade area encompassing SADC, COMESA and East African Community which he said Cabinet has already approved…”
Great news. But, do you realise that East African Community has adopted Customs Union based on Revised Kyoto Convention (Treaty, General Annex and Specific Annexes), whilst Republic of Zambia has failed for past nine years to implement even MANDATORY provisions of General Annex.
As usual, big statements, nothing to celebrate. If you want change, appoint experts instead of useless and failed bankers to manage trade.
..these guys have forgotten that its all about Zambia’s independence…they have turned it into a mini SADC meeting….from KKI airport to state house is not a reflection of what is happening everywhere else in Zed……what free trade was he talking about…SA does not allow certain imports just like Zed banned importation of certain goods….
King Mswati is a child molestor who marries teenagers! What things dies Lungu have in common with him???
This half naked Swazi pervert should never be a guest in Zambia, let alone a guest of honor. What a damn shame.
So you want him to wear an Armani suit…will he fit in then? You are so brainwashed by the white man to the point they are laughing at you…what a shame!!
ba Jay, obviously you have no idea where I’m coming from.
Statements will not improve our lives.We need actions. In fact, trade is already on going between all Africans. However, actions speak louder than words.Lungu lacks the intelligence of action.
Good policies are arrived at after taking a proper inventory of a Nation’s abilities. Taking for instance the state of our country’s factories capacities, could then logically lead to more informed decisions, than merely relying on hearsay.
Pop quiz.
1. When was the ‘chitenge’ introduced as ‘traditional attire’?
2. If you know the answer can you explain why the traditional attire of the male was also introduced as ‘the safari suit’?
3. The introduced himself was culturally confused, often dressing as Martin Luther King, Kwame Nkhruma and Mao Tse Tung as he reinvented himself. True or false.
4. Why is every painting and image of our so called traditional attire credited to a Westerner?
5. Why do we never look at what the Asians, Arabs and Far Easterners trading with us before the European, have to contribute to what they really found in Africa before the great white washing of history?
6. What do you know about Africans ruling Brittania and other European zones?
7. Why do the South American nations openly say they knew us before Columbus?
8. Why am I even bothering? Those men in tights succeeded in the propaganda battle and even have you believing their so called Western attire is their creation. Do you even consider why words like pajama, jodhpurs, cabana, kayak, banana, safari etc are spoken as ‘English’ by a language clever enough to absorb everyone else’s words in order to dominate?
Reinvention of Culture is a must read. The day we see how many of our ‘traditions’ are inventions, is the day we see how we have lost the truth about so much. Zambia is one of the biggest culprits in the loss as apparently it was easy to get us to discard, easier than some other places. The social experimentation over hundreds of years has us clutching…
Our largest markers should be the African continent. We can compete adequately in our own back yard to our benefit.