Doomsayers shamed
THE visit to Zambia by Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan which has resulted into signing of 12 bilateral cooperation agreements to strengthen trade relations between the two countries has shamed doomsayers, says New Congress Party (NCP) leader Peter Chanda.
Mr Chanda said the agreements have humbled the pessimists who always offered irrelevant and destructive criticism whenever President Edgar Lungu made foreign trips.
In an interview yesterday, NCP leader Peter Chanda noted that President Lungu’s foreign trips were now bearing fruits and that the armchair critics were embarrassed.
Mr Chanda was commenting on the official visit of 7urkey’s leader to Zambia and the signing of 12 bilateral cooperation agreements to support forestry, education, agriculture, health, tourism, security as well as to enhance ties and integration between the two countries.
Mr Chanda said there were a number of benefits for =ambia in the bilateral cooperation agreements adding that President Lungu should be commended for his commitment to improving diplomatic relations with the foreign countries.
“Some known enemies of development criticized President Lungu when he went to attend the inauguration ceremony of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara early this month saying he (Lungu) was wasting tax payer’s money, but look what that trip has brought, it has enhanced our bilateral cooperation between Zambia and Turkey.
³7he official visit of 7urkey’s President to Zambia and signing of 12 bilateral ties aimed at strengthening trade relations have shamed doomsayers,” Mr Chanda said.
He added that the skeptics believed that the pledges made during the Head of State’s visit to Turkey were not going to yield tangible results but that the visit of the President of Turkey for the first time in =ambia and the cementing of ties was enough evidence that Presidential trips were beneficial to the country.
Mr Chanda said he was happy that President Lungu and Turkey’s leader held fruitful meetings at State House which resulted in signing of the memorandum of understandings.
He urged President Lungu not to listen to irrelevant criticism aimed at distracting him from wooing investors and delivering to the nation but to remain focused.