President Hichilema emphasises importance of embassies in Burundi and Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema hosted a State Banquet to welcome Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka on 1 August.

Hichilema called for the need to establish embassies in both countries in order to fortify economic and trade investments between the two nations.

The reciprocal establishment of embassies will not only tighten bilateral relations, but also have a positive effect on wider partnerships in Africa for COMESA, SADC, and other regional blocs.

In addition to the two countries signing Memorandums of Understanding in areas such as mining and agriculture, the results of a true partnership can already be seen through Zambia hosting refugees from Burundi, and Burundi dispatching 5000 metric tonnes of relief food to Zambia to help its drought response.

In an address, President Hichilema said “Burundi and Zambia are bonded together by sharing roots through Lake Tanganyika, for that reason trade must be scaled up, today Zambians are married to the people of Burundi and we have become brothers and sisters.”

He also pointed out the need for Burundi to be a part of the Lobito Corridor, which is a US supported corridor for trade between Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.