President Hakainde Hichilema was among 14 African Heads of state and government that attended the China-Africa Leaders Round Table dialogue meeting on Thursday night , held at Hilton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The closed door round table dialogue meeting which was being held under the Theme, “Promoting African Integration and jointly building a High-Level Africa-China Community with a shared Future” was Co-Chaired by Chinese President XI Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaposa.

And in a shared joint Communique after the dialogue meeting, both the African countries and the Chinese government underscored that support for African developmental challenges should be aligned and synergized with the second ten-year implementation plan of agenda 2063.

Both China and African governments reaffirmed their strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations UN charter and their staunch support for each other in upholding territorial integrity, sovereignty, security and development interests.

The two sides also agreed that China-Africa cooperation should draw attention to the strengthening of existing global institutional mechanisms to ensure the participation of developing countries thus allowing for inclusiveness and global trust.

Further, both sides agreed that since its inception in 2000, the forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC) has proved to be an effective platform for South-South of all the people of China and Africa.

On the African side, leaders commended China, for introducing the global development initiative, the global security initiative and the global civilization initiative in support of strengthening multilateralism and hoped China and Africa’s development will bring about more opportunities for peace and development in the World.

Meanwhile the Chinese government commended African leaders for their constructive and creative initiative undertaken towards ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The government of China called for increased dialogue and engagement to build trust and confidence and the creation of an environment conducive for dialogue between the warring parties.

Among the leaders that attended the round table meeting include President of the Union of Comoros who is also Chairperson of the African Union AU Azali Assoumani, President of the Republic of Senegal who is also Co-Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation FOCAC Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the East African Community EAC Evariste Ndayishimiye.

Others are the President of the Republic of Djibouti who is also Chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Congo and representative of the Central Africa, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Namibian President who is also Representative of the Southern Africa Hage Geingob.

While others are, Libyan Vice President of the Presidential Council Mossa Elkony and representative of the Arab Maghreb Union, Prime Minister of the Republic of Chad and Representative of the Community for Sahel-Saharan states Saleh Kebzabo among others.

President Hichilema was in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit and has since returned to Zambia.

President Hakainde Hichilema, in his role as Chairperson of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), has called upon the BRICS countries to support the reform of the global order concerning the cost of capital for African nations. His appeal was made during the BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogues held on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The BRICS group comprises five prominent emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, who have convened for discussions at the summit.

Under the theme “Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism,” President Hichilema highlighted the pressing issue of Africa paying a disproportionately high cost of capital compared to other continents globally.

President Hichilema emphasized the importance of the BRICS platform in expediting reforms surrounding the cost of capital, with the ultimate goal of supporting Africa’s development. This disproportionately high cost, he stated, hinders Africa’s ability to create job opportunities and stimulate business growth, particularly among the continent’s burgeoning youth population.

Furthermore, President Hichilema urged the BRICS countries to facilitate access to technology for African nations. This access, he believes, would enable beneficial partnerships that drive economic growth on the continent and contribute to the global economy.

President Hichilema also commended the summit for offering African countries the opportunity to collaborate with BRICS nations in pursuit of development goals. He noted that the forum facilitates partnerships aimed at overcoming various challenges faced by African nations.

In his address, President Hichilema underscored the significance of BRICS as a community representing over 42% of the global population, 30% of the world’s territory, 23% of global GDP, and 18% of global trade. He expressed Zambia’s eagerness to strengthen partnerships that are mutually beneficial and to bolster economic ties with like-minded countries, based on resource complementarity.

The President advocated for a revitalized international order that is fair, inclusive, and rule-based. He emphasized the importance of addressing global opportunities and challenges in solidarity to achieve outcomes that benefit all.

The UPND government has unequivocally stated that President Hakainde Hichilema bears no responsibility for the criminal actions of any individual, whether they are politicians or ordinary citizens. Chief Government Spokesperson and Information and Media Minister Chushi Kasanda emphasized that individuals engaged in criminal activities are solely accountable for their actions, and the law enforcement agencies will address such cases accordingly.

In a statement Ms. Kasanda underscored the government’s commitment to upholding citizens’ freedom of expression while reiterating that those who violate the law will face legal consequences. The government’s stance is firmly rooted in the principle of applying the law uniformly, firmly, and fairly, irrespective of one’s race, gender, political affiliation, tribe, or any other considerations.

Ms. Kasanda expressed the government’s deep concern over a growing trend in which individuals involved in criminal activities attempt to deflect accountability by implicating President Hichilema in their legal predicaments. She categorically stated that such attempts are designed to garner public sympathy and underscored that President Hichilema is not liable for any individual’s criminal actions.

The government’s message is clear: those who engage in criminal conduct and establish political parties to facilitate illegal activities will not be shielded from the legal repercussions of their actions. Ms. Kasanda emphasized that the law enforcement agencies would operate diligently and impartially to uphold the rule of law.

Furthermore, the government called upon politicians and their supporters to abandon the misguided notion that continuous violations of the law are a pathway to aspiring to the position of the Republican President. The government stressed that the law does not discriminate based on political aspirations and will be enforced rigorously.

The government appealed to all Zambians to condemn criminality and refrain from glorifying suspected criminals without considering the broader impact of their alleged crimes on society. The government encouraged citizens to empathize with the victims of criminal actions before passing judgment on law enforcement agencies.