Maravi

Zambia, Mozambique sign 8 bilateral agreements

Zambia, Mozambique sign 8 bilateral agreements
By ZANIS
Thu 19 Aug. 2010, 11:30 CAT

ZAMBIA and Mozambique yesterday signed eight bilateral agreements in various sectors aimed at enhancing living standards of citizens in the two countries. And President Rupiah Banda and his Mozambique counterpart Armando Guebuza have reaffirmed their commitments towards ensuring that the agreements signed benefit the two nations.

According to Zambia News and Information Services, the legal instruments are towards enhancing cooperation in the fields of transport and communications, tourism and civil aviation. The other five are Memoranda of Understanding in various areas.

The MoUs are on mineral resources, education, disaster management and early warning, establishment of cooperation ties between chambers of commerce of the two countries and the last one on exchange of students of National Institute of Mozambique and Diplomacy Institute of Zambia.

Communications and transport minister, Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa signed the instruments on behalf of the Zambian government while Mozambique Minister of Foreign Affairs Oldemiro Baloi and Paulo Zucula, Minister of Communication and Transport for Mozambique signed for their country.

The signing of these instruments at the Office of the President of Mozambique was preceded by private talks by the two presidents and discussions by ministers and government officials from the two countries.

The Zambian delegation led by President Banda were hosted at a state banquet held at the Ponta Vermelha Palace, the official residence of the President of Mozambique.

During the banquet, President Banda said the agreements signed would further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries which already share a lot in terms of cultural, political, social and economic relations.

He noted that there was now need for the two nations to increase cooperation in many areas of economic and political development among them the plans by the central banks’ to repatriate their local currencies when trading.

President Banda the latest agreements would undoubtedly increase the two countries’ wealth and consequently improve the living standards of their peoples.

He has also praised President Guebuza for promoting good and democratic governance in his country.

Earlier, President Guebuza congratulated President Banda for being elected to chair a SADC committee on defence and security policy, saying this will help improve peace situation in some countries of the Southern African region.

He paid tribute to the role Zambia and her citizens played in helping liberate a number of countries in the region.

He said Lusaka was and will remain in the political liberation dictionary of many countries in Southern African region because of hosting many freedom fighters from other countries.

President Banda, who arrived in Maputo yesterday morning for a three day state visit, will today travel to Beira to tour facilities at the port in the northern part of the country.

First Lady of Zambia, Thandiwe Banda and her Mozambican counterpart, Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza, also attended the State banquet hosted in President Banda’s honour by President Guebuza.

Labels: MOZAMBIQUE, ZANIS

posted by MrK @ 4:28 PM