Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Christopher Mvunga says Zambia is committed to enhancing its path to further diversify the economy to agriculture.

Mvunga was speaking on arrival in Ahmedabad, India, for this year’s Africa Development Bank-AfDB annual meeting.

In a statement issued by first secretary for press and tourism at the Zambian Embassy in India, Bangwe Naviley, Mvunga said the country was going flat out to tap into the international best practices that would realise the diversification agenda.

And Zambia’s High Commissioner to India Judith Kapijimpanga said the country wants to get the best out of AfDB meetings as the reliance on mining has had challenges.

She said Finance Minister Felix Mutati is tomorrow expected in India to attend this year’s AfDB annual convention to strengthen trade ties with other African Countries.

Kapijimpanga said the meeting would also allow Zambia to get the best out of AfDB’s agenda in line with the theme “Creating wealth through agriculture,” which is in line with the 7th National Development Plan.

The High Commissioner added that this year’s meeting follows a successful 2016 AfDB annual meeting held in Lusaka from May 23 to May 27, 2016.

Kapijimpanga said the AfDB has 81 member countries of which 57 are from Africa and India is among the 24 non-regional member countries.

The 2017 AfDB annual meetings will be held from May 22 to 28 at Mahatma Mandir under the theme ‘Transforming Agriculture for wealth creation in Africa.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the upcoming AfDB Group’s annual convention in Ghandinagar on May 23, 2017.