Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Charles Milupi, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring that Zambia’s infrastructure meets global quality standards while empowering local engineers and contractors with modern construction skills.
Mr Milupi says building local capacity is critical to achieving the government’s vision of delivering durable, high-quality infrastructure that stands a test of time.
The media reports that the Minister was speaking in Lusaka today during the official opening of a Construction Capacity Building Workshop organised in collaboration with Arab Contractors of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Mr Milupi explained that the workshop follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Zambian government and Arab Contractors this year, during President Hakainde Hichilema’s state visit to Egypt.
He explained that the MoU seeks to promote cooperation in construction, capacity building, and knowledge exchange between the two countries.
“We are grateful to the management of Arab Contractors for deploying highly skilled facilitators to train our engineers over the next nine days, “he said.
The Minister emphasised that President Hichilema has consistently directed that all infrastructure projects in Zambia must adhere to three key principles, the right price, the right quality, and timely delivery.
“Quality is non-negotiable. Our people deserve infrastructure that lasts roads that can withstand time and serve future generations,” he stressed.
Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Zambia Myada Esaam stated that the initiative reflects Egypt’s long-standing spirit of partnership and solidarity with Zambia.
She emphasised that the workshop aims to invest in Zambia’s most valuable resource in human capital.
“Arab Contractors are here in Zambia not just to build structures, but to share and cooperate with our Zambian brothers and sisters by investing in people. This is more than just a programme, it is a bridge of knowledge connecting Egyptian expertise with Zambian ambition,” she said.
“This partnership is built on mutual respect, shared goals, and a common vision of our two leaders President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President Hakainde Hichilema for a prosperous future inspired by our long-lasting bilateral relations,” she stated.
Meanwhile, one of the participants, Job Kapundo, has described the initiative as an invaluable platform for skills enhancement and professional growth in the road and bridge construction sector.
He explained that the sessions, facilitated by experts from the Arab Contractors Institute, have focused on building the participants’ technical understanding of the materials and processes essential for quality road construction.
“Since we began yesterday, we’ve been focusing on bridges and roads, and have started learning different aspects of project management, in road works, we looked at the main materials needed for road design, including the subgrade, aggregates and bitumen. These form the key layers of any durable road,” he stated.
