Reaffirming Zambia’s commitment to international cooperation to address the challenges facing the planet, the country’s President today called on world leaders to come together and act boldly for the sake of the shared future.
“In this globalized and inter-dependent world, no country, however wealthy or powerful, can resolve all these challenges single-handedly,” said President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, addressing the general debate at the 72nd session of the General Assembly.
“Common solutions are, therefore, required through a strong United Nations,” he added.
In particular, he noted the challenges brought on by the impact of climate change – intensified through the increase in natural disasters – and how future generations remain most vulnerable out of no fault of their own.
Underscoring the importance of UN in addressing challenges in an interlinked and interdependent world, the Zambian President called for reforms, in particular to the Security Council to make the Organization more effective and efficient.
The Security Council needs to be more representative, democratic and accountable to all UN Member States, he said, adding that as Africa constitutes the second largest bloc of the UN Membership, proposals to reform the Council “should heed Africa’s legitimate call.”
Also in his remarks, President Lungu noted important gains registered by the country, based on both the African Union 2063 Agenda and the global 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and that the agendas have been integrated into the national development planning framework. He also spoke of improvements in agriculture, employment generation, manufacturing as well as on deepening of democracy, rule of law and human rights.
“Zambia continues to make tremendous strides in the campaign to end child marriage [and] we are also repealing a number of discriminatory and outdated statutes related to children [to make it compatible with] the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,” he said, urging everyone to concentrate on efforts to protect children and youth.
Meanwhile Zambia has asked North Korea to abandon nuclear programmes. This is contained in a statement released to the media below
PRESS RELEASE BY HON. HARRY KALABA, MP, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON THE NUCLEAR TEST AND FIRING OF BALLISTIC MISSILES BY THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia is deeply concerned over the continued firing of ballistic missiles and nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea despite international outcry to cease such activities.
As a member of the United Nations and a State Party to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Zambia supports calls from the international community for nuclear disarmament and subsequently urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea not to engage in provocative acts but to participate in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The Republic of Zambia, therefore, calls on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to abandon its nuclear programmes and comply with the respective resolutions of the United Nations Security Council
all I can see is Lungu having a meeting at United Nations headquarters with Theresa May,, now here back home HH is fighting day and night to see to it that the entire southern province does not recognize Lungu the dully elected Zambian president. shame on you HH
Agreed mr President. However you have single handed turned zambia’s Fortunes and have prioved to be an ace of a President.
Once you are done in 2026 and the sun sets I would like you to get involved in the United Nations because if Koffi was elected UN Secretary General with less of an achievement as you, I don’t see why you would not follow in those footsteps.
The average zambia and people alike are in awe of your leadership.
The naysers are born to hawbabd undermine you. We will not listen to them, they have no substance in their words.
I hold a PhD so I know what I’m talking about.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
@Kumwenu, is it HH phenomena the reason why Edgar walks with head down?
I briefly met him yesterday, and just said “Ba Eddy, be happy mudala. Dance like those days”. He just laughed and said “..Challenges guys!”. I am glad Edgar healthy has improved, but no power in his hand shakes, he just need to start working out.
I have to disagree on this subject of Africa having a UN seat. As long as African states by and large fail to implement many signed agreements with several UN bodies and other international organisations, are plagued with civil wars and corruption it doesn’t make any sense for us to have a Permanent Security Council seat. If India a nation that doesn’t have a Permanent seat whose economy and population is larger than the entire African continent on what grounds should we then have a seat? South America doesn’t have a Perm Seat. Let us solve our own problems first, develop our economies, create stabilty for our people then we can argue for that seat meanwhile there are more pressing problems we are facing than Permanent Seats at the UN Sec Council. We talk of climate change but we love…
Ctn… We talk of climate change but we love using fuel gazzling SUVs and large convoys what hypocrites we are…may God judge us accordingly!
Two lame-duck leaders trying to be relevant at an obsolete organization. UN is irrelevant in today’s world. Theresa May called an election which weakened her and ECL store an election. The two are a waste of space.
Jonathan’s resume:
1. Got into power after an democratic conference.
2. Stated his vision(less) for Zambia.
3. Hired all those Sata had fired.
4. Brought all road contract to State house.
5. Malawi Maize scandal.
6. Allocated land to Lebanese and Chinese.
7. Gave Chinese work permits to work as street vendors.
8. Bought Russian planes as a disguise to resurrect Zambia Airways.
9. Dubious connections with Bushiri.
10. Making too many foreign trips to other dictators (birds of a feather…flock together).
11. Charging citizens with treason and terrorism if they disagree with him.
12. Burning markets and infrastructure, so he declared state of emergency.
13. Buying old fire engines for 1million US, pocketing the rest 41million US.
14. Firing anyone that does not give him a…
But a country can overcome its internal developmental challenges in a single generation like UAE & Singapore.Why has Zambia failed bwana Lungu?
Lungu should regularise his Presidency.. Without a Concourt Declaration Certificate ,Lungu is illegitimate and in power illegally. The Precedent in Kenya shows that Legitimacy comes from the Electoral Court and is not based on Tourists called International Election observers’s opinions and validation. Once an Election is petitioned the Declaration from the Electoral Court is what matters and Foreign Observers’s Opinions and Validation is irrelevant.# Let the Petition be heard in Court. Period.
@Moya, the petition is now history. What is trending is eradication of early/child marriages in Africa, particularly in Southern Province of Zambia. Turn the page.
Yes just after lungu spent 4 days stating at semi naked girls dancing in front of him in swaziland ……ati end child marriages, what hypocrisy…
Staring……
Just come back you lazy moron…reading speeches and wasting taxpayers money. Other presidents read out their main speech and fly out this wotkshy Bum is still there sightseeing
And zambia contunues to make great strides in ending early marriages as his recent host in swaziland marries a 19 year old who is his 14th wife and africa wants to be part of the global world. HE ECL by attending functions that you did in swaziland you are encouraging the abuse of minors rights.As a president you should be more circumspect.
You cannot be president and one of the boys. Make your choice
Compare that to same sex marriages, and come back with your take.
abilima
This is about child marriages, which lungu seems to support by going to stare at semi naked girls dancing in swaziland……
DPRNK should be left alone to test its nuclear weapons without statements and resolutions from a weak UN. It is the same UN that failed to stop France from conducting nuclear tests in the ocean with claims that they were trying to calibrate their systems so that such future tests would not be necessary. Leave Korea alone
Lungu did not mention democracy and justice in African prisons. Treason charges he slapped on opposition
Abilima so you support young girls being checked in public to see kf they are still virgins….
They are two different situations ………you can only compare apples with apples not apples with lemons
Its President Lungu Chairing the meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May as a participant, what does that tell all those that are still in denial?
Let development continue in Zambia beginning with transformative projects like the Lusaka-Ndola Dual carriage way, New International Airport, Levy Park Hospital, Modernizing Lusaka Road Network and Ndola Airport etc.
HH’s cohort with their Ebu brainwashed tompwes, jealousy!
@Spaka like lilo, #.4.1, you are very dull!
@HaJayJay #5 says only people from Gwembe valley are good and should be elected! It is time we checked the register there, it appears all Under Fives, Ing’ombe Ilede on fours and Donkeys could be on the register! How would you explain the 100% turn-out and rural areas beating Copperbelt numbers? Do not chase away inspectors next time! I think I will lead the group myself!
Yaba! Which country is trying to do that? Mr Lungu has made one of his greatest discoveries ever!
Indeed:
No one country can resolve global challenges single-handedly-President Lungu