THANK YOU UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
ASsome sections of the Zambian society intensify their smear campaign aimed at tarnishing the image of the country in the eyes of the international community, the United States (US) government has just dropped a surprise package.
The announcement of the substantial aid amounts to a vote of confidence in the stability and economic sustainability of the country.
Last Tuesday the US government announced a K39 billion aid programme for Zambia to run for the next five years.
Mr Young announced the news when he paid a courtesy call on President Lungu at State House in Lusaka.
This is a blow in the face of some individuals and groups that have been working hard with foreign agents to persuade Zambia’s bilateral and multi-lateral partners to either scale down or completely withdraw aid from the country as part of their political strategy.
Their toxic propaganda has proved not only futile but self-defeating as well. The picture that came out of the brief meeting between President Lungu and the US envoy is that of growing cooperation between Zambia and the US.
President Donald Trump’s administration has identified Zambia as worthy of its support.
The US government has its own systems for determining whether a country deserves its aid or not. It has seen the honest efforts President Lungu and his government have been making to mitigate the impact of Covid 19 and other natural shocks like climate change on the national economy and households.
The US has also noticed the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s robust infrastructure development agenda and social protection programmes, and its resilience towards Covid 19, which has negatively affected revenue collection, debt servicing and budget financing.
Announcing the five-year package months before crucial elections reflects the US government’s confidence in the country’s systems and ability to manage its governance processes such as polls.
And a week ago, the Chinese
government announced relief for Zambia.
This is a clear indication that the President’s economic diplomacy is not a mere slogan but is bearing fruit.
President Lungu has won the confidence and trust of the Trump administration.
The US is the richest and most powerful nation in the world. Its foreign policy largely influences how other rich western countries relate with small Third World countries such as Zambia.
His detractors have been taking turns in hurling mud at his persona and lampooning his administration over Zambia’s foreign debt and perceived human rights violations.
Recently, some opposition parties and allied civil society organisations distributed a
debt
lengthy petition to the United Nations (UN) and a plethora of foreign missions which contained a long list of grievances and allegations against the government.
The complaints included fears that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), an independent body created and mandated by the republican Constitution to administer elections and manage the entire electoral system in the country, was in the process of ‘rigging’ the 2021 general elections, denial and violation of civil rights and economic mismanagement.
The aim is to poison the international community’s perception of the current government so that it takes hostile actions such as withdrawing aid and similar sanctions
against Zambia.
But the international community is not gullible. It cannot be swayed by the lies being peddled by some unpatriotic citizens and their foreign backers.
President Lungu is grateful to the US government for the support it has continued giving Zambia. He has every reason to be. The aid and Mr Young’s warm words have effectively rendered the propaganda futile.
State House Press Office reported on its Facebook page, quoting ZNBC TV, President Lungu said the US had been providing financial support to Zambia in the education, health and other sectors of the economy since 1964 when the country became independent.
Since he took oath for
the first time as republican President in January 2015 President Lungu has been working hard to build and strengthen bilateral relations with Zambia’s cooperating partners such as the US and European Union (EU) member states.
On October 8, 2020 he met visiting United Kingdom (UK) Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Africa James Duddridge at State House.
During the meeting, according to Mr Chipampe, President Lungu acknowledged the historical relations between Zambia and the UK that created a special bond and strategic partnership between the two countries for many years.
The President expressed gratitude for the UK’s generous support to Zambia in various sectors such as education, social protection, conservation and health, including the fight against the Covid 19 pandemic.
“The Zambian government values its relations with the United Kingdom under the Commonwealth which espouses the values of democracy, human rights, sustainable development, peace, among others,” President Lungu said.
He pledged to continue promoting strong ties between the two countries. The President took advantage of the interaction to brief Mr Duddridge on the progress relevant government agencies and ministries were making in the preparations for the August 2021 general elections.
He assured the UK that the Zambian government would support free, fair and transparent and credible elections that would reflect the will of the people of Zambia.
Days earlier, he had received credentials from heads of mission from Rwanda and other countries.
The President’s economic diplomacy is in line with Chapter 27 of the PF Manifesto in which the party commits to the promotion of “friendly and cordial relations with Zambia’s neighbours, all African states and other foreign countries and pursue a foreign policy based on the mutuality of common interest and respect”.
The five-year K39 billion aid package the US has extended to Zambia has just confirmed the effectiveness of President Lungu’s economic diplomacy.