President Hakainde Hichilema has thanked the Southern African Development Community(SADC) regional heads for the role they played in ensuring smooth transition of power in last year’s general elections that ushered him into office.
President Hichilema said the successful democratic elections held in Zambia is testimony that the SADC region and Africa as a whole is capable to upholding democratic tenets.
ZANIS reports that the President said this in his maiden speech during the 42nd Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Thank you very much for your support. Most appreciated. I want to indicate that this is not a Democratic measure of success to Zambia alone, but to all of you in the SADC region, to Africa.
“In this regard, I wish to commend particularly SADC for your support during our elections, I must say before, during and after our elections, we are most grateful for the support and indeed without your support, It could have been extremely difficult because the country was going through a challenging democratic situation at the time,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema expressed concern about the food insecurity that has affected most African countries arising from the Ukraine-Russia war.
He said the lesson learnt from the impact of the war is that Africa should look within itself for solutions by investing in its people for increased agricultural productivity.
“We must look into ourselves before anywhere else to ensure that our people are secure, secure in terms of food, secure in terms of other essentials. This is really our noble duty and together we are capable of achieving that level of security for people,” President Hichilema said.
Mr Hichilema further called for the prioritizing of investment in technology in the SADC region in order to bring an end to the exportation of minerals and other resources in their raw form.
“We must bring in technology that will allow us to add value to these raw materials and stop the raw exports that have been going on in our continent for centuries, and really bring the added value that we so desire,” he said.
The President added that there is need to invest in human development, as people are the greatest asset that can drive the SADC region’s aspirations of increased agricultural productivity, processing and industralisation.
The Head of State also called for the preservation of peace and security in the SADC region stating that instability in any of the member countries is a threat to the peace and security of the entire region.
He stated that the SADC region cannot afford to under-perform in the area of peace and security in its quest to uplift the living standards of the people in the region.
“Please, let’s continue pushing this issue of stability and security, which will allow us the opportunity to invest in our economies, to uplift the lives of our people and to give our people a chance for that kid to go to school, and after school get a job, or indeed, a business opportunity and I think we must really push this subject,” he said.
During the Summit Malawi’s President, Lazarous Chakwera handed over the SADC chair to host President, Felix Tshitsekedi.
In accepting the SADC chairmanship, President Tshitsekedi committed himself to ensuring the SADC attains the objectives of promoting industrialization through agro processing, mineral beneficiation and regional value chains.
He pledged that DRC Congo will work closely with all SADC member states in striving towards the achievement of the regional integration agenda.
President Tshitsekedi said industrialization and regional chains are pivotal in fostering integration in SADC member states.
He thanked SADC, particularly Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania for supporting DRC Congo in its conflict with Rwanda in the Eastern part of the country.
Fuseke double star nuyo-ko
It pains you to see the intellect and class; the probity and the dignity, and the gravitas of the man of the moment, HH, His Excellency, president of the Republic of Zambia (I do not expect you to understand any of the adjectives I have used in this sentence since you are a near illiterate kaponya)… When are you going to back to Zambia so that the ACC can arrest you for all of your corruption, kalya-nyoko?
Is there a doctor in the house? I repeat Is there a shrink in the house?
Fixed mind human being @Kaizar Zulu has no shame.
Who is writing the president’s speeches? He must quickly employ Kellys Kaunda. You can’t be confirming your neighbors’ wars when they deny these conflicts themselves! I’m referring to: He thanked SADC, particularly Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania for supporting DRC Congo in its conflict with Rwanda in the Eastern part of the country
Mmmm thanked Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. What’s his opinion of the now hated MONUC who have been there for over 20 years. The world’s longest UN mission.
He cannot say anything. He is compromised, weakened and knee capped by the enormous debt trap left to him by PF. Zambia is prostrate and must beg everyone because it owes money it cannot pay, if it hands over all of its income for the next 50 years. That is the nature of the trap MMD and PF left us in