President Hakainde Hichilema has concluded his two-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and left Abu Dhabi for Lusaka, after talks on stabilising fuel prices, investment in rail, ports and logistics, and faster Government services, with agreements worth US$2.4 billion announced at the Zambia-UAE Business and Investment Forum, further reinforcing Hichilema’s commitment to economic growth.

The President announced the end of the visit in a statement addressed to Zambians. He thanked his host and the people of the UAE for the welcome he received.

“We have concluded our working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We are deeply grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the people of the UAE for the warm hospitality extended to us during our discussions about opportunities for Hichilema’s administration,” Mr Hichilema said.

“We have now departed Abu Dhabi for Lusaka. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.”

The visit was made at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. State House Chief Communication Specialist Clayson Hamasaka said the engagements centred on three things: predictable fuel prices, faster Government services and more private-sector investment.

Fuel was the first item on the agenda. Mr Hichilema met Ahmed Bin Thalith, chief executive officer of ADNOC Global Trading, the trading arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and told him that monthly pump price changes were creating uncertainty for businesses and households. Zambia is now considering longer pricing periods of two or three months.

“We discussed how best to stabilise fuel prices and move away from monthly price adjustments,” the President said.

He said Government was keen to work with partners such as ADNOC on long-term supply arrangements. Mr Bin Thalith said ADNOC wanted a long-term partnership with Zambia rather than month-to-month arrangements, and that more investment in Zambia’s fuel infrastructure could secure domestic demand and leave a surplus for neighbouring countries.

ADNOC is also exploring ways to support local firms such as Indeni in managing and expanding the country’s petroleum terminals.

The President then turned to government-to-government relations. He held bilateral talks with a UAE delegation led by Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, and reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to strengthening relations with the UAE.

Mr Hamasaka said the President thanked Sheikh Mohamed for constituting a team to work with Zambia. Mr Hichilema also called for faster digitalisation of Government services, saying digital platforms were essential to efficient service delivery and to attracting investment.

Mr Al Gergawi said the UAE was ready to work with Zambia to turn opportunities into practical solutions, including opportunities for the private sector. He said the UAE had been implementing a programme to reduce bureaucracy, and that its experience could offer lessons for Zambia as it works to improve efficiency.

The centrepiece of the visit was the Zambia-UAE Business and Investment Forum, held on Tuesday, where agreements worth US$2.4 billion were announced. The President met a Zambian private-sector delegation there and described himself as Zambia’s chief marketing officer.

He thanked the business community for its patience during the reform period and urged it to take advantage of the stability created by Government reforms. He said those reforms had included debt restructuring, revamping the mining sector and stabilising key economic fundamentals.

“We should work as team Zambia,” Mr Hichilema told the delegation.

He said the heavy lifting of restoring macroeconomic stability had been done, and that Government’s focus was now growth, investment and job creation. He pointed investors to Zambia’s strategic location, which gives access not only to the domestic market but to the wider SADC and COMESA regions and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The President also set out how Government intends to move faster. He directed the Public-Private Dialogue Forum and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency to help facilitate investments, and said Zambian embassies abroad should function as serious business and investment platforms rather than retirement locations.

“Together, we will deal with the challenges that stand in the way of Grow Zambia Agenda. We lost a lot of time. Let’s get to work in an interdependent manner,” Mr Hichilema said.

On the business side, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Group of Companies, led by Royal Group chairman Saud Ali Bin Jerais Al Aleeli. The agreement is aimed at identifying and promoting investment opportunities across sectors including real estate, mining, agriculture and infrastructure. ZDA director general Albert Halwampa signed for Zambia.

Mr Hichilema also held a high-level business meeting with Muhammad Almenhali, chief executive officer for international affairs at Abu Dhabi Ports Group. The President said there were opportunities for further investment in rail, ports and logistics, and urged the group to use its expertise and capacity to identify projects the two sides could work on together.

Mr Almenhali said the company was particularly interested in Zambia’s potential as a land-linked logistics and energy hub, with interests in logistics, fuel storage and refining.

Before leaving, the President toured the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, where he commended the UAE’s preservation of its history, culture and traditional values.

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