APA-Mbabane (Eswatini) Eswatini and Zambia have signed eight memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to strengthen cooperation between the two southern African countries in areas such as agriculture, culture, trade and security.
Foreign Affairs Minister Thuli Dladla and her Zambian counterpart Stanley Kakubo signed MOUs on agricultural cooperation, inter-governmental cooperation, trade and investment cooperation, arts and cultural cooperation, energy cooperation, forestry and tourism, and the establishment of a Joint Permanent Commission of Defence and Security.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Eswatini’s King Mswati III, who was on a state visit to Zambia, and President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia at State House in Lusaka.
King Mswati congratulated Zambia on its successful debt relief negotiations with foreign creditors that culminated in the country getting a grace period on the settlement of its more than US$6 billion external debt.
“We would like to commend Zambia for her success in negotiating debt relief which remains a major burden for many African countries,” Mswati said.
He said the rest of the continent now looks “to Zambia to share her experience and expertise with other African countries who are in the same predicament.”
“Let us, therefore, continue to share our experiences and expertise in making the best of our opportunities from this relationship and increase trade activity by providing quality products for the markets between our countries, the region and the rest of the African continent.”
The king later opened the 2023 edition of the Zambia International Trade Fair in the capital Lusaka.
He bemoaned what he described as insignificant levels of trade between the two countries and called for stronger ties to boost trade.
The Eswatini leader said Zambia’s International Trade Fair is an opportunity to work together and strengthen bilateral trade.
He noted that trade between Eswatini and Zambia has been growing at four percent and hoped his visit would help the two countries improve in this area.
He invited Zambian companies to exhibit at Eswatini’s international trade fair scheduled in September in Mbabane.
JN/APA