President Hichilema Praised for Response to USAID Funding Suspension

President Hichilema has been praised for his recent comments about the suspension of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding and related programs in Africa.

The President described the USAID cuts as long overdue and a wake-up call for African countries to grow their economies by enhancing bilateral trade and investment among themselves.

Speaking on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Hichilema met with UNAIDS Executive Director and United Nations Under-Secretary-General Winnie Byanyima to discuss the implications of the funding cuts. He noted that while the decision will cause disruptions, Africa’s long-term strength lies in efficiently managing its own resources.

The Centre for Trade Policy and Development, a not-for-profit think-tank working on economic policy issues, Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo told Kwithu and Hot FM Radio listeners that Hichilema’s statement is timely and needs to be supported. 

Highvie H Hamududu, President of the Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP), also came out in support of Hichilema’s statement. 

In a press statement released by Hamududu, the PNUP President remarked that “President Hakainde Hichilema is right in stating that the best solution for African countries, in the wake of the USAID freeze, is prudent economic management of resources and growing economies through investment and trade among African countries and the rest of the world.”

Hamududu also praised the New Dawn government's promotion of investment and trade, describing the administration’s efforts as “the right way to grow our economy to a level where the country can realise enough revenues to support the national budget adequately, pay off the foreign debt, and be debt-free in the long run.”

Hichilema reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing alternative funding sources while strengthening economic management to safeguard vital social services.