Edgar Lungu expected in Luanda Angola today

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Edgar Lungu expected in Luanda Angola today

11:55 CAT | 25 Oct 2016

Lusaka Times (File photo) / Edgar Lungu

Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu is today Wednesday October 26 expected in Luanda Angola to attend an extra ordinary United Nations Great Lakes summit on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the great lakes region.

ZANIS reports that Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba confirmed President Lungu’s participation at the first ever stand alone summit aimed at consolidating the regional oversight mechanism for peace , security and cooperation in the region.

Mr Kalaba said leaders in the great lakes region have seen the need to monitor commitments and their implementation to restore political stability and peace in the region .

Mr Kalaba disclosed that Ministers of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday met to prepare the ground for the heads of states summit to address armed conflicts in the DRC, Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan.

He said the Ministers of Foreign Affairs reviewed progress made on the implementation of the national and regional commitments to end armed conflicts in the war torn territories of the great lakes region.

Mr Kalaba said the region is committed to use its available collective pool of resources and determination to ensure that political stability, peace , security and cooperation is attained in the great lakes region.

He pointed out that progress is steadily being achieved in stabilising the region as seen in Burundi whose volatile situation has since been contained while the Central African Republic has seen held elections on its journey to democratisation.

“We want to sort out this within our means. Progress might be slow but we are getting there. So we envisage a lot of hope , peace and prosperity,” said Kalaba.

The Minister said Zambia is keenly following the implementation of the commitments with vigour especially that she continues to play host as a safe haven to refugees from neighbouring countries that are experiencing under conflicts and political instability.

“Despite the issues Zambia has been going through, we have looked after our brothers and sisters , ‘’ said Mr Kalaba.

Mr Kalaba underscored the importance of the region’s collaboration with the United Nations and other interest groups and stakeholders to ensure that peace prevails in the region to spur regional integration , trade and development.

“The cannot be development in the absence of peace, there cannot be human emancipation where peace is absent. So Africa is poised to reach greater heights because of such initiatives as this summit” said Kalaba.

Mr Kalaba also announced that while in Angola , President Lungu will hold bilateral talks along the sidelines of the summit with his Angolan President Jose Eduardo Do Santos, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and DRC leader Joseph Kabila .

He said the talks are aimed at strengthening ties with Zambia’s neighbouring states.

Source: Lusaka Times