ZAMBIA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have renewed their stately ties, committing to continued collaboration in various sectors including; energy, health, education and agriculture.
This commitment was made at Lusaka’s Hotel Intercontinental as the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Zambia hosted a reception to celebrate the Kingdom’s 94th independence anniversary on Tuesday afternoon.
Led by Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Zambia, Ali Saad Alkahtani, the Embassy hosted Zambian government officials, businesses men, lawyers religious leaders, diplomats among others with acting minister of foreign affairs Rodney Sikumba as guest of honor.
Addressing the gathering, Sikumba while wishing
King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Saud goodness, commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its contributions to Zambia’s economic development efforts, especially in the fields of health, agriculture and energy.
Sikumba highlighted the multi-million-dollar 800 bed capacity King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital for women and children being constructed in Lusaka as one of the Kingdom’s gestures of goodwill to the country.
“This generosity is well appreciated and will greatly contribute to the health care needs of women and children in Zambia,” Sikumba said.
He pointed out that Zambia and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed long-standing diplomatic relations that have yielded fruitful outcomes in trade, investment, education and culture.
He also lauded the Kingdom’s contributions under its Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to diversify the Saudi economy while promoting peace and security in the Middle East.
“It is gratifying to note that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has strived to promote peace, stability, and economic growth, over the years which are qualities of common interest to the people of the Republic of Zambia.”
“Allow me to acknowledge the substantial contributions that the Kingdom of Saudi Araba continues to make towards Zambia’s efforts to realise its developmental goals across various sectors, such as the health, agricultural and energy sectors,” said Sikumba.
In reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to the Zamba-Saudi ties, His Excellency Ali Saad Alkahtani appreciated the establishment of the Saudi Embassy in Lusaka since the year 1978.
Alkahtani noted that the two countries are working to strengthen these bilateral relations as they consider each other as strategic bilateral partners.
“The two countries collaborate in various sectors, including polities, sports, health, agriculture, energy, minerals, support of small and medium projects and disaster management.”
“This friendship is further shown by continued exchange of high-level delegation visits by both sides; the latest visit by HE. President Hakainde Hichilema to Saudi Arabia during the Saudi- African Summit in Riyadh in 2023, It was a positive participation and contributed to strengthening relations between our two nations,” he shared.
He noted that the Kingdom also participutes with Zambia in times of crisis through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre through several donations including dates, tents, medical devices, office equipment and other food items.
The Kingdom also participates in development projects through the Saudi Fund for Development, including Co-financing the Kalabo-Sikongo-Angola border road projoct in the Western Province in 2012 and upgrading the University Teaching Hospital, the largest referral health facility in Zambia in 2013.
Saudi Arabia also, handed over two million US dollars cheque to COMESA for the construction of the permanent beadquarters of COMESA In Lusaka.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, September 26, 2024
