PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says he is confident that Zambia will be great again because “together, we are rebuilding it”.

And President Hichilema says Zambia and the United Kingdom will continue to support each other in key areas of good governance, economy, trade and investment, including education and health.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has commended Zambia for being the first Southern African country to submit its revised ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ Document setting out national climate change targets.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page, Monday, President Hichilema said he had spent time sharing notes with fellow Heads of State ahead of the World Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

“Great conversations around climate change and its effects we have had so far with fellow World Leaders. So far we have met the U.K. Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP and António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. We have also spent time sharing notes with fellow Heads of State ahead of this afternoon’s World Leaders’ Summit here in Glasgow, Scotland. Among them, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya who we discussed a wide range of issues beneficial to Zambia and Kenya and also President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, with whom we discussed issues concerning cultural diversity between our two nations while fostering trade and investment. And with our counterpart from Congo, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, we reiterated our call for an urgent need to commence trade and investment processes between our two countries,” he said.

“With Presidents Lazarus Chakwera, Hage Geingob, Emmerson Mnangagwa and João Lourenço of Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola respectively, we discussed issues on the value of trade links among our countries as we position Zambia to become land-linked and subsequently benefit from her God given geographical position in the Southern African sub region. And lastly, we stressed the need for Africa to look for solutions from within. Out of these engagements, we are confident that Zambia will to a large extent benefit and drift from an economically down trodden Nation to a food basket. Zambia will be great again because together, we are rebuilding it.”

And President Hichilema disclosed that he had a brief conversation with the United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson upon arrival at the Glasgow, Scotland World Leaders summit on climate change.

He added that other than the history the two nations shared, Zambia and UK would endeavour to promote peace and unity for development.

“We had a brief conversation with the United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson upon our arrival at the Glasgow, Scotland World Leaders summit on climate change earlier today. We are optimistic that Zambia and the UK will continue to support each other in key areas of good governance, economy, trade and investment including education and health. Other than the history the two Nations share, Zambia and UK will endeavour to promote peace and unity for development,” President Hichilema.

Speaking when he met the Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, President Hichilema said his government would ensure that the country’s economic diplomacy and desires were met.

“Our discussion was mainly anchored on enhanced economic and technical cooperation for both countries. Trade and investment are very dear to us as that is one of the driving forces for jobs, business opportunities and other related aspects of social and economic development and these are the main issues we raised. We are grateful to the People of Mauritius who through the Prime Minister congratulated, you the citizens for electing us into public office,” said President Hichilema.

“We will ensure that our country’s economic diplomacy and desires are met. While in these meetings, we are stressing the need for joint ventures. In all we do, for us it is Zambia and Zambians first while promoting joint ventures and ensuring that Zambia does not remain a landlocked Nation but land-linked and its benefits of being in this position must be felt.”

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom commended Zambia for being the first Southern African country to submit its revised ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ Document setting out national climate change targets.

This is according to a statement issued by the British High Commission Press and Public Affairs Section.

“As President of COP26, the United Kingdom commends Zambia for being the first Southern African country to submit its revised ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ Document setting out national climate change targets. With the recent creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, Zambia has further prioritised a green growth vision. COP26 provides a platform to demonstrate that vision to the world, showcase Zambia as an attractive location for climate finance investment, and elevate Zambia’s position as a leader on climate change nationally, regionally, and on the world stage. For the next two weeks, the eyes of the world will rightly be on Glasgow and the outcomes of the summit,” read the statement.

“On 1 November, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson greeted His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema as the Zambian President arrived for the start of the two-day World Leaders Summit of COP26 Climate Change Summit in Glasgow. President Hichilema joins more than 120 other World Leaders in Glasgow to set ambition for the Summit, an event that has been described by many as the last, best chance the world has to secure the action needed to avert catastrophic climate change. If greater action is taken now, humanity can limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels. Without urgent action to limit climate change, the science is clear that the world will experience greater temperature rises and even more severe, unpredictable and devastating extreme weather events like droughts and floods. This will threaten lives, economies, our natural environment, and the futures of our children.”