Zambia is Set to Host the First Ever Africa-Israel Summit Slated for 2018
December 1, 2017
Lusaka Times
President Edgar Lungu with Israel Prime Minister at State house in Nairobi after the Inauguration ceremony of President Uhuru Kenyatta
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu last night revealed that Zambia is set to host the first ever Africa-Israel Summit slated for 2018. This came to light during a special televised interview on ZNBC. The President had taken an impromptu visit to the national broadcaster studio’s yesterday on a spot on check of the refurbishment of the studio’s.
In reaction to a question, from the presenter, Gravazio Zulu who wanted to know what the Head of State thought of some within the Zambian political society who were complaining over the his frequent travels abroad.
“I don’t like to travel but I unfortunately I have to travel for the sake of the Zambian people and because it is my job.” President Lungu said.
Furthermore, the President said that before going to Kenya for the inauguration of President Uhuru Kenyatta, he was informed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to meet him on a bilateral level for a discussion and this in part prompted him to travel as this was not something he could delegate to someone else nor the Zambian Ambassador to Kenya, as it would send a wrong signal to his counterpart PM Netanyahu. And it was during his bilateral engagement with PM Netanyahu that the Israeli PM revealed his desire to see Zambia host the summit instead of Togo as it was earlier planned.
“For whatever reason we have been given the mandate to host this summit which will bring its own benefits to Zambia.” President Lungu reiterated.
On the other hand the President shared his wisdom during the same interview concerning SADC’s role specifically the Troika Organ, which is mandated with the maintenance of Democracy,Rule of Law, Peace and Security in the region, which President Edgar Lungu heads as its chair.
President Lungu narrated that ” when the situation broke in Zimbabwe I was in Egypt and when I returned I called Zimbabwe and spoke to President Mugabe who told me that there was no coup but rather it was an internal matter, a ZANU-PF matter which was been resolved internally. But even then when we saw the continued unfolding events in Zimbabwe, an emergency Troika meeting was convened in Angola and I had to travel and there we resolved that President Zuma and President Lorenzo should travel to Zimbabwe and get facts of what was transpiring there. And before the two Heads of State could travel, there was news that President Mugabe had resigned. Furthermore, the courts in that country ruled that what had traspired was within the context of the law, so there was nothing more as SADC we could do except to respect the ruling of the courts and Zimbabwe’s sovereignity”
President Lungu equally took time to inform the nation that Zambia’s rating international was high. He attested this to the fact that Zambia under his charge has managed to make use of its geo-political location to its advantage while at the same time the manner in which he has conducted himself as Head of State. He further argued that this could even be seen by the number of Heads of State that had visited Zambia since his ascendancy to the Presidncy in 2015. He also informed the nation that he is expecting his Angolan counterpart, President Lorenzo of Angola next month for a state visit.
The Head of State also challenged those who are critizing him over his international engagements to offer credible criticism and he will listen and that they should ask themselves why he didn’t travel to Ivory Coast for the Africa-EU Summit if he really loved to travel so much where he is represented by Her Honor the Vice President Madam Inonge Wina.
Lusaka Times
President Edgar Lungu with Israel Prime Minister at State house in Nairobi after the Inauguration ceremony of President Uhuru Kenyatta
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu last night revealed that Zambia is set to host the first ever Africa-Israel Summit slated for 2018. This came to light during a special televised interview on ZNBC. The President had taken an impromptu visit to the national broadcaster studio’s yesterday on a spot on check of the refurbishment of the studio’s.
In reaction to a question, from the presenter, Gravazio Zulu who wanted to know what the Head of State thought of some within the Zambian political society who were complaining over the his frequent travels abroad.
“I don’t like to travel but I unfortunately I have to travel for the sake of the Zambian people and because it is my job.” President Lungu said.
Furthermore, the President said that before going to Kenya for the inauguration of President Uhuru Kenyatta, he was informed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to meet him on a bilateral level for a discussion and this in part prompted him to travel as this was not something he could delegate to someone else nor the Zambian Ambassador to Kenya, as it would send a wrong signal to his counterpart PM Netanyahu. And it was during his bilateral engagement with PM Netanyahu that the Israeli PM revealed his desire to see Zambia host the summit instead of Togo as it was earlier planned.
“For whatever reason we have been given the mandate to host this summit which will bring its own benefits to Zambia.” President Lungu reiterated.
On the other hand the President shared his wisdom during the same interview concerning SADC’s role specifically the Troika Organ, which is mandated with the maintenance of Democracy,Rule of Law, Peace and Security in the region, which President Edgar Lungu heads as its chair.
President Lungu narrated that ” when the situation broke in Zimbabwe I was in Egypt and when I returned I called Zimbabwe and spoke to President Mugabe who told me that there was no coup but rather it was an internal matter, a ZANU-PF matter which was been resolved internally. But even then when we saw the continued unfolding events in Zimbabwe, an emergency Troika meeting was convened in Angola and I had to travel and there we resolved that President Zuma and President Lorenzo should travel to Zimbabwe and get facts of what was transpiring there. And before the two Heads of State could travel, there was news that President Mugabe had resigned. Furthermore, the courts in that country ruled that what had traspired was within the context of the law, so there was nothing more as SADC we could do except to respect the ruling of the courts and Zimbabwe’s sovereignity”
President Lungu equally took time to inform the nation that Zambia’s rating international was high. He attested this to the fact that Zambia under his charge has managed to make use of its geo-political location to its advantage while at the same time the manner in which he has conducted himself as Head of State. He further argued that this could even be seen by the number of Heads of State that had visited Zambia since his ascendancy to the Presidncy in 2015. He also informed the nation that he is expecting his Angolan counterpart, President Lorenzo of Angola next month for a state visit.
The Head of State also challenged those who are critizing him over his international engagements to offer credible criticism and he will listen and that they should ask themselves why he didn’t travel to Ivory Coast for the Africa-EU Summit if he really loved to travel so much where he is represented by Her Honor the Vice President Madam Inonge Wina.
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