Parliament heard today that K16. 1 billion was spent on the preparations and hosting of the 27th Southern African Community (SADC) ordinary Summit of Heads of States and government in Lusaka in August, 2007.
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Fashion Phiri told parliament that the K16.1 billion expenditure was in accordance with the minimal standards of the SADC hosting and preparations requirements.
Mr. Phiri was responding to a question raised by Chipili PF Member of Parliament Davies Mwila who wanted to know how much money government spent on the hosting of the 27th SADC ordinary summit of Heads of State and government in August last year.
He also wanted to know what economic value the SADC summit had to the nation.
Mr. Phiri who is also MP for Kapoche Constituency said the hosting of the summit in Zambia brought in a lot of economic benefits to the country by strengthening the existing political and economic ties among the SADC member states.
He cited the abolition of trade barriers between SADC boarders, deepening of the regional and economic integration, infrastructure development and increase in food production, as some of the measures, which were looked at during the SADC summit with a view to boosting economic development in the southern African region.
And Foreign affairs Minister Kabinga Pande disclosed that all the 14 Heads of States in the regional body attended the 27th SADC ordinary summit of Heads of State and government in Zambia.
He further announced that 12, 096 delegates attended the SADC summit.
Mr. Pande was responding to a supplementary question by Chipili PF MP Davies Mwila who wanted to know how many delegates attended the summit.