President Hichilema Delivers Keynote Address To EU-Zambia Economic Forum
President Hichilema this morning concluded his keynote address at the European Union (EU)-Zambia Economic Forum, which this year focused on the theme of ‘Economic Transformation through Green Growth’.
During his speech, the President emphasised the importance of Zambia’s long-standing partnership with the EU and explained how the EU-Zambia Economic Forum will help to strengthen economic and commercial ties between the two entities. In particular, he noted that Zambia has recently attracted some €1.6 billion in investment from EU companies into the energy, construction, engineering, and agro-processing sectors. He observed that this kind of investment is crucial for transforming Zambia’s economy by providing much-needed capital, technology, and management techniques to drive industrialisation and create reliable, well-paying jobs for Zambian workers.
The President’s speech was focused on embracing the future as he detailed the government’s plans to capitalise on the Fourth Industrial Revolution through the use of green technology, overseen by the newly created Ministry of Green Economy and Environment. He explained that the New Dawn government was positioning Zambia to thrive during this transition by ensuring the sustainable use of human and natural resources, while leverage key metals and minerals which will be critical to delivering these new technologies.
Building on his recent addresses at the Investing in African Mining Indaba and the Public-Private Development Forum launch, President Hichilema underscored his government’s support for the private sector, as well as his commitment to making Zambia one of the world’s best destinations for investment through the creation of an enabling and supportive policy environment.
Most importantly, the President expressed his confidence that partnerships with EU businesses would deliver win-win outcomes to both European and Zambian companies, while unlocking benefits including jobs and wealth creation for ordinary Zambians.
The EU-Zambia Economic Forum is being held from Wednesday 18th to Thursday 19th May. The forum provides an opportunity for business leaders, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs from both markets to explore areas for cooperation and partnership. It also offers businesses a platform to interact with officials and lawmakers from both Zambia and the EU in order to ensure greater public-private sector coordination.
