President Hakainde Hichilema has returned to Lusaka from Nairobi, Kenya, following the conclusion of the Africa Forward Africa–France Partnership for Innovation and Growth Summit.
President Hichilema attended the high-level summit alongside several African Heads of State and Government. The meeting focused on strengthening partnerships, promoting innovation, accelerating economic growth and redefining relations between Africa, France and the wider global community.
While in Nairobi, President Hichilema participated in summit discussions centred on economic transformation, infrastructure development, investment promotion and regional cooperation.
The President also held bilateral talks with Kenyan President William Ruto on the sidelines of the summit. According to a message shared on his official Facebook page, the discussions focused on matters of mutual interest aimed at strengthening cooperation between Zambia and Kenya.
President Hichilema said Zambia and Kenya continue to enjoy warm bilateral relations rooted in the legacy of the two countries’ founding Presidents, Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
“Zambia and Kenya continue to enjoy warm bilateral relations, rooted in the legacy of our founding Presidents, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta,” President Hichilema said.
He also expressed gratitude to President Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron for inviting Zambia to participate in the summit.
“We also expressed our gratitude to President Ruto and his co-host, President Emmanuel Macron, for inviting us to participate in the Summit,” he stated.
During the summit, President Hichilema called for stronger and more balanced partnerships that would enable Africa to unlock its vast economic potential and reduce dependence on foreign aid.
He said Africa must move away from reliance on aid and instead focus on partnerships that promote investment, innovation and sustainable development.
“We must shift from reliance on aid to forging balanced partnerships that help unlock our continent’s enormous potential,” President Hichilema said.
The Head of State further emphasized the need for African countries to harness locally generated wealth to finance development programmes and critical infrastructure projects.
He said the continent must develop the capacity to finance roads, logistical corridors and other strategic infrastructure using homegrown resources in order to secure long-term economic independence.
“Now more than ever, Africa must harness its own locally generated wealth to drive sustainable development across our nations. Our continent must be capable of financing itself and advancing key infrastructure using homegrown resources,” he said.
President Hichilema said Africa’s transformation would depend on the continent’s collective commitment to self-reliance and regional cooperation.
“Africa will only be developed by Africa,” he said.
The Africa Forward Summit was co-hosted by President Ruto and President Macron, and brought together leaders, development partners and international stakeholders to explore opportunities for balanced partnerships between Africa and the global community.
President Hichilema has since thanked Zambians for their continued support and prayers during his engagement at the regional meeting.
No impact on the life of an ordinary Zambian just like the annual bumper harvests which dont bring down prices of mealie meal with inflation statistics purpoted to have come down with zero impact on the ground. Both ruling and opposition with no tangible plan for our economic emancipation apart from daily hollow speeches and carefully crafted propaganda
That’s not how real life economics works.Stop showing your ignorance,even China’s economic miracle didn’t unfold overnight it taken them 3 decades.
Even you yourself you’re part of this failure…where’s the companies you’ve started,the car manufacturing,semiconductor processors or quality power tools you’ve patented?
Hang on not so fast He has past commented, yet let’s be fair, as another 50 Billion my be coming our way as per norm