HH Pledges ‘Win-Win Outcomes’ At EU Economic Forum

President Hichilema has said that closer cooperation with businesses from the European Union will deliver “win-win outcomes” for both European and Zambian citizens, once again promising to deliver more jobs and greater economic opportunity to ordinary Zambians.

Speaking at the European Union (EU)- Zambia Economic Forum in Lusaka on Wednesday, the President emphasised the importance of Zambia’s long-standing partnership with the EU. In particular, he noted that the bloc had recently invested some €1.6 billion in Zambian companies – primarily in the energy, construction, engineering and agro-processing sectors.

Hichilema said that this kind of investment is crucial for transforming Zambia’s economy; delivering much-needed capital, technology, and management techniques to drive industrialisation and create well-paying jobs for Zambians. 

The theme of this year’s forum was ‘Economic Transformation through Green Growth’. During his speech, the President laid out the government’s plans for Zambia to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution through the use of green technology. He explained that, under the direction of the newly-created Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, the government was positioning Zambia to be a key producer of the metals and minerals needed for new technologies such as batteries for electric cars.

Furthermore, the President emphasised his government’s support for the private sector – reiterating his pledge at the recent Mining Indaba that he sought to make Zambia one of the “world’s best destinations for investment” by creating an enabling and supportive policy environment.  

President Hichilema was later joined on stage by the EU’s Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski for a special panel discussion. During the forum, Ambassador Wojciechowski said the EU was keen to support Zambia’s agriculture sector in order to plug the food gap created by the Russia-Ukraine war. 

The EU-Zambia Economic Forum runs until Thursday afternoon, providing an opportunity for companies from both markets to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration. It also allows business leaders to interact with lawmakers and officials, in order to explore how the government can be more supportive of the private sector.