Hichilema Tells New Envoys To Turn Diplomacy Into Investment For Grow Zambia

President Hakainde Hichilema has told eight newly accredited ambassadors and high commissioners that his Government will anchor its foreign policy on economic diplomacy to deliver the Grow Zambia Agenda, urging them to bring investors, trade and tourists from their countries over…

President Hakainde Hichilema has told eight newly accredited ambassadors and high commissioners that his Government will anchor its foreign policy on economic diplomacy to deliver the Grow Zambia Agenda, urging them to bring investors, trade and tourists from their countries over the next five years.

The Head of State made the call at State House in Lusaka when he received letters of credence from Canadian High Commissioner Corry van Gaal, Nigerian High Commissioner Efe Alexandrina Clark-Omero, United Arab Emirates Ambassador Mohammed Saeed Mohammed Alkaabi and Swedish Ambassador Per-Ola Mattsson. Also presenting credentials were Finnish Ambassador Marja Rosvall, Spanish Ambassador Maria Lourdes Sangroniz Guerricagoitia, Dutch Ambassador Matthijs van Eeuwen and Guinean Ambassador Dienabou Saifon Diallo.

Mr Hichilema said the country had gone through a successful transition from economic recovery to stabilisation and would now concentrate on growth. Under his new mandate, he said, the focus was to rapidly accelerate the economy by deepening trade and investment with the international community and moving away from a culture of handouts.

“You have arrived at a pivotal moment as this country moves rapidly into what we call the ‘Grow Zambia Agenda’, transitioning from stabilisation to growth,” the President said. “Our main focus as a nation is to accelerate and expand economic growth. On that basis, we are reinforcing our foreign policy, anchored firmly on economic diplomacy, to help us achieve these goals.”

He pressed the envoys to move beyond ceremony. “Let us turn diplomacy into tangible results and prosperity. Let us speed up projects, transactions and specific deliverables through partnerships; business to business, people to people, Government to Government,” he said.

The Grow Zambia Agenda, which aims to triple national economic growth, demands greater investment, expanded trade, technological advancement and local value addition, all of which the President described as vital to creating jobs for a youthful population. “Africa should not export the problem of youth unemployment to other continents; Africa should solve its own problems and create opportunities right here,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said the other pillar of his administration’s international profile was peace, security and stability, adding that a rules-based global order was cardinal to the agenda. Zambia, he said, would anchor its foreign policy on regional and global peace to guard against external shocks such as imported inflation.

“Instability anywhere is instability everywhere; a rules-based global order with equity, connoting fairness, in trade, fair capital is essential,” he said. He also called for African nations to gain fair access to affordably priced capital to lower the cost of doing business.

The President urged the diplomats to invite companies from their countries to invest, saying the business environment had been made more favourable. “Invite companies in your countries to come and invest here, to come and do business here,” he said.

On tourism, he told the envoys that Zambia was targeting five million tourist arrivals and asked them to showcase the country’s tourism products to their nationals. To improve connectivity, he said the Government plans to upgrade four additional provincial airports to international standard.

Turning to individual partners, Mr Hichilema said trade with the UAE had more than quadrupled in the last three years, while Zambia was seeking skills exchange, knowledge and expertise from the Netherlands, Guinea and others. “For those in Africa, we are paying particular attention to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area because Africa is the only continent that does the least trade with itself,” he said.

He commended Canada and the UAE for opening resident missions in Zambia following his engagements with their leaders, and urged countries without resident missions to follow for deeper bilateral cooperation. He closed with a direct charge: “Enjoy your stay here, but let us work hard.”

The envoys each pledged to deepen ties. Ms van Gaal said she was Canada’s first resident High Commissioner in Zambia in 15 years, noting that Canada invested US$12 billion in Zambia in 2024 alone, and pledged to bring in more capital.

Ms Clark-Omero conveyed congratulations to Mr Hichilema on his re-election and inauguration from Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the two countries shared a timeless bond of friendship. Mr Alkaabi said his mission would focus on deepening bilateral relations.

Mr Mattsson praised the Government’s reforms in education, health, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Ms Rosvall said Finland and Zambia would mark 60 years of bilateral ties in the next two years and pledged support for the Grow Zambia Agenda.

Ms Sangroniz Guerricagoitia said her posting was timely because Mr Hichilema is the incoming chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which she described as a chance for Spain to deepen political dialogue and cooperation in trade, science and technology with Zambia and the region.

Mr van Eeuwen said more than 30 Dutch companies operate in Zambia, with Dutch non-governmental organisations supporting the green economy, water and sanitation, and reaffirmed the Netherlands’ backing for the Lobito Corridor. Ms Diallo delivered a goodwill message from Guinea.

The eight envoys now take up their posts with a brief to align their countries’ bilateral and multilateral programmes with the Grow Zambia Agenda.