By Tony Nkhoma
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says he admires Egypt’s structured working approach which he says has propelled the Arab country to prosperity in various key economic sectors over the years.
Hichilema said though Zambia was making progress, the country had a lot to learn from Egypt in the manner it executed its national development programmes based on timely, right pricing and quality.
“So, let’s keep going. Let’s get a structured way of working. I know we’ve been working in a structured way, but I like your style of working here, making sure that things are done on time and at the right price and indeed quality,” Hichilema said.
President Hakainde Hichilema who is in Egypt for a three-day state visit, said what the Egyptian government had accomplished especially in infrastructure development was a clear testimony of a structured working style and a commitment to private sector engagement.
He said Zambia was ready to benefit from management and quick decision-making in implementing development programmes that the private sector brought on board.
Hichilema invited the Egyptian experts in agriculture, food security, water harvesting and energy to help Zambia in its implementation plan with focus towards utilisation of a stable economy.
“So we did have a conversation with my counterpart that we will give agriculture, water management a priority, alongside what we’ve signed. We want transactions. We want business. We want to work together so we can mutually benefit our economies,” Hichilema said.
He called for joint ventures between Egyptian pharmaceutical companies and Zambian firms so that Zambia could also begin the manufacture of drugs locally.
“And I want us to expand this partnership going forward into not just supply, from Egypt, but also getting a joint ventures between Egyptian pharmaceutical companies and Zambian companies so that we can produce medicines within Zambia as much as is possible, technology allowing, capital allowing,” Hichilema said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi pledged to boost the framework between Egypt and Zambia in political consultation, enhancement of mutual investments, agriculture, aquaculture, and infrastructure.
“I confirm it to President Hichilema Egypt’s readiness to share its development expertise and to provide all forms of support and assistance to Zambia, upgrading the competencies of its cadre in prioritised areas further to the development of frameworks in the Zambian state institutions,” El-Sisi said.
He said it was critical to undertake joint action and conserve positions forwarding African priorities to global agenda.
El-Sisi emphasised the need in taking action to reforming the continental organisations, making them more responsive to the challenges and realising the interests of each individual populations.
