Parliament To Dissolve On May 12 - President Lungu
President Edgar Lungu has disclosed that Parliament will dissolve on the May 12th, 2021, in preparation for the Country’s upcoming general elections slated for August 12th, 2021.
ZANIS reports that President Lungu disclosed this when he received letters of credentials from newly appointed Ambassadors for Brazil, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal and Greece at state house today.
“as you may be aware, Zambia is preparing to go to the polls on 12th of August, 2021 and in this respect, our parliament will dissolve on the 12th of May, 2021 and this will mark the start of the campaign period.” he said.
He has however, assured the ambassadors that government is committed to ensuring that the upcoming elections are held in a peaceful, free and fair manner and further said that invitations have been extended for international monitors and observers for the elections.
President Lungu has congratulated the newly appointed Ambassadors and expressed gratitude to the nations represented for their continued bilateral relations, especially at this time when the world has been hit by the global pandemic.
“Your appointments come at a time when enhanced cooperation and collaboration on the global arena between countries has become even more crucial. This is in view of the emanating regional and global threats to their national lives, their livelihoods and to their lives. Global challenges such as the COVID19 pandemic, climate change and terrorism and many others call for enhanced and collective engagement of world leaders to tackle these threats. In this respect Zambia stays ready to continue collaborating with like-minded partners including your respective governments” he said.
President Lungu further informed the Ambassadors that government is implementing the economic recovery program aimed at restoring growth and macroeconomic stability in response to the economic effects of the global COVID19 pandemic and adverse climate conditions.
President Lungu has further appealed to all the nations represented to consider investing and collaborating with Zambia in the fields of Energy, Agriculture, Scientific research, manufacturing, education, health and tourism among other sectors.
He has further appealed to the newly appointed Ambassadors to take time to explore the country to better understand and appreciate the people.
And speaking at the same occasion, newly appointed Brazillian Ambassador to Zambia Arthur Henrique Villanova Nogueira said the Government of Brazil commits to further strengthen the 50 year bilateral relations between Zambia and Brazil with more focus on health and Agriculture.
Mr. Nogueira has disclosed that despite the Covid19 pandemic, efforts are being made to keep the relations between the 2 countries alive, including the plans to donate medical material to help the pandemic, 45 scholarships to Zambians to enhance their skills in critical areas of development for the country.
Meanwhile, his Portuguese counterpart Miguel de Mascarenhas de Calheiros Velozo has disclosed that his country plans to strengthen the 46 year old diplomatic relations between the two countries despite the restrictions experienced in the last 5 years that restricted collaboration between the two countries with concentration in the field of construction in the region.
Among the Ambassadors that presented their credentials today include; Arthur Henrique Villanova Nogueira of Brazil, Moataz Anwar of Egypt, Istem Circiroglu of Turkey, Miguel de Mascarenhas de Calheiros Velozo of Portugal and Loukas Karatsolis of the Hellenic Republic.
This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times