Embassy of the Republic of Zambia - Washington D.C

11/08/2023

11/07/2023

Spotlight on Zambia during this mornings interview on Good Morning Washington on American Broadcasting Company Channel 7. The interview can also be seen on www.wjla.com

11/04/2023

Ms. Mfikeyi Makayi, CEO of KoBold Metals Zambia, participated as a panelist during a session on "Diversifying Global Supply Chains" at the 20th AGOA Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Focusing her discussion on 'minerals of the future', Ms. Makayi shared challenges faced in mineral exploration that posed a risk of supply disruption.

She noted the critical need for data on mining and exploration activities, stating that the current situation was one where the private sector had more information than governments.

She also cited, amongst others, political will, clear policy, and ensuring the existence of proper democratic structures and assurance of long-term commitment by governments as critical in securing minerals of the future.

"Also critical was moving with the social objectives of governments to ensure the well-being of the citizens in the communities where the mining exploration was being done," added Ms. Makayi.

KoBold commenced its activities in Zambia following President Hakainde Hichilema announcing on the sidelines of the U.S. - Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022, in the deal room, in Washington DC, a $150 million deal with KoBold. KoBold is a U.S. based mining firm focused on mining exploration and development of Mingomba copper deposits, with plans to develop a copper-cobalt mine in Chililabombwe on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The deal was announced at a time when President Hakainde Hichilema called on investors to partner with the government so that they would help in fulfilling its agenda to Zambia.

11/04/2023

President Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, gives a keynote address at the 20th AGOA Forum on Friday, 3rd November, 2023.

The Forum is being held under the theme "Partnering to build a Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive AGOA to Support Economic Development, Industrialisation and Job Creation.

35 AGOA beneficiary countries, including Zambia, participated at the 20th AGOA Forum. The Zambian delegation was led by Hon. Chipoka Mulenga - Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, accompanied by Permanent Secretary (Trade and Commerce) - Ms. Lillian Bwalya, Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa - H.E. Mazuba Moonze, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Zambia Washington DC - Ms. Margaret Kapihya, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, as well as Ministry of Agriculture.

The U.S. was represented by a senior U.S. Government delegation led by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai. Other delegation members included Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa Thomas Bruns, U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) President and Chair of the Board of Directors Reta Jo Lewis, U.S. Department of Agriculture ((USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa Monde Muyangwa, and Prosper Africa Coordinator British Robinson; Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Africa and the Middle East Eric Meyer; and National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for African Affairs Judd Devermont. The Department of State was also represented by several senior officials including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Economic and Business (EB) Affairs Ramin Toloui and EB Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Trade Policy and Negotiations Tony Fernandez, amongst others.

The key message from President Cyril Ramaphosa was on Africa's enormous potential and the need to harness this by supporting the continent in its Industrialisation drive, while moving up the value chain, creating jobs, adding value on the continent and improving the lives of more than 1.3 billion people.

"The Forum is taking place on a continent of enormous potential. Africa has a great reserve of critical minerals, a youthful population, high levels of urbanization and an increasingly networked population", said President Ramaphosa.

He added that "Africa is an important source of critical minerals, but we do not want to be defined as simply the producers of commodities. We look forward to the United States working with African countries to foster an investment-led approach that aims to diversify international supply chains of critical minerals by beneficiating these resources here on the African Continent."

President Ramaphosa requested for early reauthorization and renewal of AGOA, with a particular focus on how AGOA could be improved, stating that early renewal would help to strengthen trade and investment.

"We would like you to look at the extension of renewal of AGOA for a sufficiently lengthy period for it to act as an incentive for investors to build new factories on the African Continent."

President Ramaphosa also implored the United States to retain all beneficiary countries to build on the emerging regional value chains that were making a significant contribution to the Industrialisation of the African Continent as he said Africa believed there was great value in retaining every country.

He invited the U.S. retailers, importers and large corporates to see Africa as a key industrial procurement source, and send supply-chain managers and procurement officers to the African continent, and to set up factories and other businesses.

Meanwhile, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai assured the African Trade Ministers that the U.S. was committed to a 'seamless' AGOA renewal with the aim of ensuring that this preferential trade pact with Africa is replaced without interruption as it expires in two years time.

"We want to make sure that as of September 25, 2025 there will be another AGOA that will pick up from this one", she said.

She added that "We see that there is opportunity to shape a stronger, new, forward-looking vision for U.S. - Africa trade".

African countries are seeking the reauthorization and early renewal of AGOA. The African countries are also pushing for more flexibility concerning eligibility criteria and a loosening of what is now an annual review of those criteria.

The AGOA is a landmark bipartisan law that has formed the bedrock for U.S. trade with Sub-Saharan Africa for more than two decades.

Africa is seen as the future, and its success viewed as success of the whole world. Hence the continued commitment by the U.S. to enhance relations with Africa.

11/04/2023

Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarks to AGOA Forum in Johannesburg South Africa. November 3, 2023.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Hello, everyone. I want to start by thanking President Ramaphosa for bringing together so many government, private sector, and civil society leaders at this important forum. Last year, I traveled to South Africa to lay out the United States strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. At its core, it’s about partnership – what the United States can do with African nations, not for African nations.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act is essential to realizing this vision. For more than two decades, and for hundreds of thousands of people across Sub-Saharan Africa, AGOA has meant new jobs, new skills, new connections, new investment; it’s meant less corruption and greater human and labor rights. And all that has translated to new and powerful partnerships to advance solutions to shared challenges from the climate crisis to food insecurity to supply chain disruptions and vulnerabilities.

Precisely because more inclusive, sustainable growth is good for Africa and good for America – good for the world – President Biden fully supports the reauthorization of AGOA. But we don’t just want to extend AGOA; we want to work with the United States Congress to make it even better, and that’s what this week’s dialogue is all about.

In addition to the work before us in this forum, we’re determined to continue to deliver on our commitments in December’s African Leaders Summit, which are essential to creating economies and societies where trade and investment can flourish.

Through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, we’re helping to finance projects like the Lobito Corridor between the DRC, Zambia, and Angola, which will enhance connectivity and make it easier to do business in and with Africa. We’re mobilizing $8 billion in private and public investments to bolster climate resilience and advance women’s economic empowerment. We remain the biggest single country investor by far in food security and public health in the region, and we’re working on new efforts, like our VACS Initiative, to strengthen African seeds and soils.

We continue to support elevating African voices in global diplomacy. We welcome the African Union joining the G20. We appreciate the IMF working to expand Sub-Saharan representation on its executive board. We remain committed to reforming the UN Security Council to include permanent representation for Africa. And this week, we inaugurated the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement to further strengthen the deep bonds between our citizens.

This flourishing partnership between the United States and Africa gives me tremendous hope. And through gatherings like this, we can continue to shape a future where workers and businesses are equipped and empowered, where governments are transparent and accountable, where all our people can thrive, and where our nations can come together for the good of our people and the world.

Thank you, and I hope you have a productive ministerial.

11/04/2023

Statement from President Joe Biden on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Reauthorization
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I strongly support reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act— a landmark, bipartisan law that has formed a bedrock for U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa for more than two decades. I encourage Congress to reauthorize AGOA in a timely fashion and to modernize this important Act for the economic opportunities of the coming decade.

AGOA is facilitating private-sector led economic growth across sub-Saharan Africa by increasing the competitiveness of African products, diversifying African exports, and enabling the creation of tens of thousands of new, quality jobs in Africa. The benefits are felt on both sides of the Atlantic: AGOA fosters a more competitive environment for U.S. businesses operating in sub-Saharan Africa.

I am committed to expeditiously working with Congress and our African partners to renew this law beyond 2025, in order to deepen trade relations between our countries, advance regional integration, and realize Africa’s immense economic potential for our mutual benefit. In so many ways, Africa is the future – and so when Africa succeeds, the whole world succeeds.

11/03/2023

His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama joined the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) at the US Africa Climate Innovation Week - Delegate Luncheon at the John F Kennedy Center. Among the delegates were Zambian civil servants from the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation: Eng. Zizwani Phiri (Director, Water Supply and Sanitation) and Nakauma Mutinta Diangamo (Senior Planner, Planning and Information).

Ms Enoh T Ebong, USTDA Director. The trade mission focused on water development and the emergency management sectors, which included visits to Los Angeles where water recycling has been successful.

Is Zambia ready to pump into homes treated recycled (sewer) water as a way of addressing challenges of climate change?

11/01/2023

His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama concluded the Independence Day Celebrations in selected States in the USA.

Ambassador Kanyama is impressed how Zambians in the Diaspora value their country.

The welcome party was led by Zambian Heritage Association of Chicago (ZHAC) President Irene White and the Executive team members.

Later during the celebrations, Ambassador Kanyama met the leadership of OZA ( Organization of Zambians Abroad). The two bodies, through their respective members, met the costs for the trip.

11/01/2023

Get to learn about Zambia's Tourism on Good Morning Washington on American Broadcasting Compay(ABC) channel 7 on Tuesday 7th November at 10:10am (Eastern Standard Time)EST

10/27/2023

Photo Highlights from Dallas-Fort Independence Celebrations.

Stephen Banda encouraged Zambians not to shy away from such events.

10/27/2023

His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama was on Thursday October 26th, 2023, part of the Diplomatic Corp of SADC Ambassadors to the USA.

Angola assumed the Chairmanship of the Diplomatic Corp in line with the SADC Heads of State arrangement.

10/26/2023

Today the African Development Bank and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) join the United States and the European Union in support of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia to develop the Lobito Corridor and the new Zambia-Lobito rail line by signing a seven-side Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on the margins of the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium.

The MoU outlines the intentions of the signatories to collaborate across multiple sectors to realize the full economic potential of the Corridor, building on the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency agreement signed by the three African governments in January and anchored by historic, envisioned investment in developing the Zambia-Lobito greenfield rail line. The new rail line, connecting northwest Zambia to the Lobito Atlantic Railway and the port of Lobito, represents the most significant transport infrastructure that the United States has helped develop on the African continent in a generation and will enhance regional trade and growth as well as advance the shared vision of connected, open-access rail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

Demonstrating the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) in action and leveraging both Western and African capital, this strategic transport infrastructure unlocks regional trade and enables additional investments in digital connectivity, agriculture value chains, green energy supply chains and rural health center electrification, among other transformative economic imperatives.

At the signing, the United States was represented by Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Investment Amos Hochstein, the European Union was represented by Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen, Angola was represented by Minister of State for Economic Coordination José de Lima Massano, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was represented by Prime Minister Jean-Michel Lukonde, Zambia was represented by Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane, the African Development Bank was represented by Vice President Solomon Quaynor, and the Africa Finance Corporation was represented by Board Member and Head of Financial Services Sanjeev Gupta.

As a signature initiative of President Biden, PGI aims to offer a credible alternative to low- and middle-income countries around the world to help meet their infrastructure needs. Developing a significant new multi-country transport infrastructure project that follows the highest international standards regarding labor, environment and quality is the centerpiece of PGI’s flagship economic development corridor. Following the MoU, AFC will work with the parties to launch the feasibility and preparatory studies necessary to further prepare this extensive infrastructure project—a critical concrete action step aimed to begin before the end of the year.

Today the African Development Bank and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) join the United States and the European Union in support of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia to develop the Lobito Corridor and the new Zambia-Lobito rail line by signing a seven-side Memorandum of Understand...

10/26/2023

LOS ANGELES, October 26th, 2023. Zambia's Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Mr Chibamba Kanyama says Zambia has made great progress with regards to enhancing its trade record, women empowerment, support for youths and investment in clean energy.

Mr. Kanyama said following the debt restructuring deal, the Government of Zambia will now have enough headroom to invest resources in health, education as well as infrastructure.

Mr. Kanyama was the bearer of the message from President Hakainde Hichilema on congratulating Ms. Karen Bass on her election as Mayor for the County of Los Angeles.

In 2021 President Hakainde Hichilema visited Capitol Hill and met with Congresswoman Karen Bass, who served on the influential House Committee on Foreign Relations where she was the chair of the Subcommittee on Africa.

"I am a bearer of the message from President Hakainde Hichilema on congratulating you on your election as Mayor for the County of Los Angeles. The President would like me to brief you on issues you discussed together in September 2021 when you were a Congresswoman. The issues include progress Zambia has made with regards to enhancing Zambia’s trade record, women empowerment, support for youths and investments in clean energy," Mr. Kanyama said.

"As you may have been following the news, the debt restructuring deal will enable government have enough headroom to invest resources in health, education as well as infrastructure. Government has continued to employ many youths in the public sector, particularly in health, education, and security as one way of mitigating against high poverty levels due to unemployment. It is envisaged that with a steady unlocking of the economy through initiatives like the Compact programme under the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Lobito Corridor Project, amongst others, the country will attract investments across sectors like agriculture, tourism, mining, energy and in the process create more jobs."

Mr. Kanyama told the Mayor that the anxiety in Zambia is on the impact of the free market on youth unemployment.

Mayor Bass earlier advocated for the establishment of more African Consulates in Los Angeles to facilitate engagement with the continent.

Issued by

Mr. Charles Tembo
First Secretary Press and Public Relations
Embassy of the Republic of Zambia
Washington D.C.

10/25/2023

Association of Zambians in the Midwest (AZM) celebrating Zambia’s 59th Independence Day parade in down Town Chicago 🇿🇲🇿🇲One Zambia one nation !!!

Different Diaspora Associations in the USA celebrated Zambia’s 59th Independence Day Anniversary in style.

10/25/2023

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I offer my warm congratulations to the people of Zambia on your 59th Independence Day celebration.

The United States remains committed to strengthening our partnership with Zambia, built on our shared commitment to democracy, inclusive economic growth, security cooperation, and health security. Today provides a joyous occasion to reflect on our shared progress while looking ahead to greater opportunities for prosperity.

The United States remains Zambia’s steadfast partner in making our world freer, safer, healthier, and more prosperous.

Happy Independence Day.

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I offer my warm congratulations to the people of Zambia on your 59th Independence Day celebration. The United States remains committed to strengthening our partnership with Zambia, built on our shared commitment to democracy, inclusive eco...

10/24/2023

Happy 59th Independence Day ZAMBIA

10/23/2023

His Excellency The President of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema's 59th Independence Day Eve Message.

Happy Independence Zambia.

10/23/2023

Alistair Group on the sidelines of the U.S. - Africa Business Summit held in Botswana in July, 2023, held discussions with Zambia's delegation led by Hon. Chipoka Mulenga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, and shared their interest in progressing both a potential border concession as well as setting up of a driver training academy in Zambia.

Alistair Group followed this up with a courtesy call at the Embassy of Zambia in Washington DC.

The Embassy connected them to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics for further discussions on the driver training academy as well as other areas where critical infrastructure investment from the U.S. and its partners could be beneficial.

10/23/2023

His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama joined the 59th Independence Anniversary celebrations in South California.

This was the second Independence Celebration hosted by the Zambians in the Diaspora.

Ambassador Kanyama acknowledged both the Philadelphia and South California Associations for the patriotism they continued to exhibit including their support towards Government by meeting all the travel logistics/ costs to enable the Ambassador join in the 59th Independence Celebrations.

Ambassador Kanyama while attending the celebrations, he took time to visit a Zambian national who is admitted in hospital.

10/23/2023

His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama on Saturday, celebrated Zambia’s 59th Independence Anniversary in Philadelphia.

Ambassador Kanyama joined the President of the Association of Zambians in Philadelphia (PAZA), Dr. Stella Mutinta Banda and the PAZA executive.

These are part of the Independence Celebrations organized by the different Associations of Zambians in the Diaspora.

10/21/2023

Zambia's Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama says Zambia has enough resources and offers opportunities for investment in various sectors.

Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama said this during the 2023 Meridian Summit held in Washington DC on Friday, 20th October 2023, when he shared insights on "Workforce Cultivation, Retention and Attraction in Emerging Markets."

The Meridian Summit was held under the Theme: Global Cooperation in an Area of Strategic Economic Competition.

Ambassador Kanyama shared that the visit to Zambia by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris signified strong relations and trust between the U.S. and Zambia. This, he noted, was followed by the signing of a Commercial Agreement to ease the way of doing business between the two countries.

With regards to U.S. Investment and trade in Zambia, he noted that a lot was happening in this area.

"Key projects to note is the U S. investment in Zambia's manafuacturing Industry". He cited the example of the battery plant, which was currently in the process of being set up in Zambia and U.S investment in the Lobito Corridor, which linked Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola and that this would open up trade routes that will provide easier access of transportation of goods to America.

"Currently, U S. investors are on the ground inspecting some works in the area," Ambassador Kanyama shared.

He emphasized that President Hakainde Hichilema had continued to provide a platform to assure the U.S. government in regard to transparency and accountability.

"The President of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichelema has provided a platform that has assured the US Government in regards to transparency and accountability, which he said were key fundamental requirements for potential U.S. Investment.

He assured the audience that Zambia had enough resources and offered opportunities for investment in various sectors for all countries
and that the competition this brought in terms of investment was one that had different models/ strategies on how to invest in a country.

Ambassador Kanyama also noted the changes the Covid -19 pandemic had triggered in the value chain of workforce by providing an opportunity for work at home, allowing one to work for a company in a different country while residing in their home country. He added that there was need for partnerships which would provide Zambia and other countries in Africa that had youthful populations, with opportunities for capacity building and training that will potentially equip them to take up roles in various fields in future. He concluded by highlighting the importance of skilled labor and management, emphasizing the critical role this played in developing economies as they transition into the digital era and transform through a shift in the supply chains.

Ambassador Kanyama was on the panel with Millennium Challenge Corporation Vice President Aysha House, Vice President of Global Government Relations at ServiceNow Nichole Francis Reynolds and Anna Gawel, the Managing Editor of Devex, the Media platform for Global Development News.

10/20/2023

Professor Luka Powanga (Energy Africa Conference), Victor Ngoma (Wacker Chemical Corporation), and Andrew Kamanga (ENFIN Ltd) paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama at the Embassy of Zambia in Washington DC.

The team took time to discuss opportunities for investment in Zambia's energy and mining sectors and their desire for greater involvement of Zambians in the diaspora in projects in the country's energy and mining sectors with emphasis on value addition.

Professor Powanga spans years of expertise in the energy sector while Mr. Andrew Kamanga, through ENFIN, is into the business of providing renewable and alternative energy sources.

10/20/2023

Zambia's Tourism

10/19/2023

This morning we received a courtesy call from Helaina Matza, the Acting Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, PGI, accompanied by the American Ambassador, Michael Gonzalez.

Our discussions centred on the developments around the Lobito Corridor and Zambia-Lobito Greenfield Railway which will be a game-changer for regional connectivity and trade facilitation.

We thanked Ms. Matza for the special message from President Biden and wished her the best as she visits the region to advance ongoing PGI-led investments.

Hakainde Hichilema
President of the Republic of Zambia 🇿🇲

10/19/2023

PRESS RELEASE

Ms. Maggie Indopu, WISE Zambia Director, was amongst 15 successful honorees that were recipients of the Library of Congress 2023 Literacy Awards. This was during a ceremony held at the Library of Congress in Washington DC on 18th October, 2023, where WISE Zambia was part of the 15 additional organizations awarded for their implementation of highly successful practices in literacy programming.

Ms. Indopu received the award together with WISE Zambia USA Director, Mr. Evans Hagland.

WISE Zambia grew out of a 2001 Habitat for Humanity building project in Kaoma, Western Province, Zambia, when several people on the team, including some from Maine, saw a need that was even greater than building simple homes. These warm and welcoming women needed a way to build self-sustaining lives and also to gain confidence that their lives had value. Lynn Twitchell and Cindy Fuchswanz from Maine and Amanda Robinson from North Carolina returned to the US with the goal of giving hope to the women of Kaoma by helping them become self-supporting and self-confident.

Motivated by this encounter with the women from the USA, Maggie, together with the other women she was sewing and making baskets with, in 2004 formed Kaoma WISE Trust. This enabled them to obtain a work space (initially called the Lynn Women’s Empowerment Center) and become visible in the community. That same year, inspired by the spirit and entrepreneurship of these Zambian women, the US group decided they could do more if they started a nonprofit. In March 2005, WISE became an official 501(c)(3) organization based in Maine, with Lynn Twitchell as president and Cindy Fuchswanz as vice president. WISE has grown in the USA.

WISE Zambia vision is not only to see children in the remote areas of Africa receive a basic education, but one that takes them to a pinnacle of their abilities and desires whilst also helping them to attain a status in life that would help them to aid other children in need.

Wise Zambia’s flagship is Educational Empowernment. Students come from families whose income is less than $2 per day and for whom they have few schools nearby. WISE Zambia provides the support, financial and otherwise, to see them through high school and beyond. They also support children and women from female-headed households, providing basic farming inputs and training in agricultural best practices, enhancing their food security.

Ms. Margaret Kapihya, Deputy Chief of Mission, joined Ms. Indopu and the WISE Zambia USA team at the Library of Congress Literacy Awards ceremony.

Earlier, on 17 October 2023, Ms. Indopu and the WISE Zambia USA team paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama. Ambassador Kanyama commended the team for focusing on helping children and families in a rural area of Zambia, noting that this goes a long way in contributing to rural development in Zambia.