Trade, economic relations on top of Zambian president visit

CAIRO – 14 November 2017: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and his Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu delivered speeches on Tuesday summarizing the talks and agreements that took place during the latter’s visit to Cairo. That marks the first visit of a Zambian president to Egypt in seven years.

Sisi said that he met with the Zambian president several times on the sidelines of African summit conferences and expressed his happiness with Lungu’s visit to Cairo. “Our talks today focused on trade and economic relations with the aim of boosting joint projects in different economic sectors, especially that the activity of Egyptian companies working in electricity, construction, and telecommunication sectors in Zambia has increased,” the president stated.

Sisi also highlighted Egypt’s eagerness to provide professional training for Zambian citizens in multiple fields. He added that both countries cooperate to achieve peace and stability in the continent, as well as accomplishing the African Union (AU) 2063 Agenda whose goals is promoting socio-economic development across the continent.

“I look forward to further communication in the future,” the president concluded.

On the other hand, Lungu expressed his delight with being in Cairo. “We had tight relations since 1964, as we cooperated in trade, youth, sports, tourism, and others sectors,” the Zambian president said.

“We appreciate Egypt’s efforts to establish peace and stability in Africa and the Middle East which has been reflected in its role through the Security Council, United Nations, and COMESSA (Common Market for Eastern Southern Africa),” Lungu stated.
Both parties signed three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) upon cooperation in the sectors of tourism, trade, sports, and others.

In 2009, Egypt’s imports from Zambia reached $106.4 million while its exports recorded $15.3 million. The top Egyptian exports to Zambia are electricity meters and parts, TV sets, electric cable, food products, juices, tires, medicines, cosmetics, paper products, textiles, carpets, paints, chemicals, construction, ceramics, and sanitary ware.

On the other hand, Zambia mainly exports to Egypt copper, tobacco, wood and wood products, according to the State Information Service.

The last Zambian presidential visit to Egypt took place in December 2010 by former President Rupiah Banda who held talks with former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on ways to boost bilateral relations before the eruption of the January 25 Revolution.

Egyptian-Zambian relations date back to the latter’s struggle for independence from the British colonization, which was finally achieved in 1964. Later on, mutual relations between Egypt and Zambia evolved on the political and economic scales.