Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation, Etambuyu Gundersen says her ministry is working on increasing trade and investment in the country through economic diplomacy.
She says this is being achieved by leveraging private capital for development through joint ventures and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Mrs Gundersen has explained that her ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as the Zambia Development Agency, in this quest.
She has noted that her ministry is also using economic diplomacy to position Zambia towards benefiting from appropriate financial instruments that will help the country achieve its economic aspirations.
The Permanent Secretary said this in an interview with the media in Lusaka, ahead of this year’s Annual Greeting of the Diplomatic Corps, by President Hakainde Hichilema, scheduled for Thursday, January 29th, 2026, in Lusaka.
“We are ensuring that our Ambassadors are having conversations with important financial institutions, not just banks but even foundations, to help us with our economic aspirations”, the Permanent Secretary stated.
And in a separate interview, International Relations Analyst, Anthony Mukwita, recalled that Zambia was in the past, a center where peace agreements and pacts were signed for conflict- affected countries like Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He therefore, emphasised the need for the country to use engagements such as the Annual Greeting of the Diplomatic Corps, to strengthen relations with other countries in order to reclaim its status as a peace-maker.
Ambassador Mukwita also commended President Hakainde Hichilema for upholding the practice and urged continued engagement with nations regarded as economic and military giants, both within Africa and across the globe.
“In a global village, in an ever shrinking world, it is very important to continue keeping our fingertips on the geopolitical heartbeat. And that is what every president has been doing from the days of Kenneth Kaunda through to President Fredrick Chiluba, at the return of Multi-party politics to all the Presidents from Edgar Lungu and currently up to the incumbent President, Hakainde Hichilema” , he recalled.
For Historian and Political Analyst at the University of Zambia, Euston Chiputa, this year’s Annual Greeting of the Diplomatic Corps presents a chance to reaffirm Zambia’s commitment to peaceful and credible elections.
“We are going to elections, perhaps the diplomatic community in Zambia may be having anxiety as to whether we shall have credible and peaceful elections. So it is a day when they will be assured that we are headed towards doing the right thing”, he predicted.
