MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kakubo says King Mswati III of the Kingdom of eSwatini is today expected to arrive in the country on a State Visit at the invitation of President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr Kakubo said the visit by the King is in reciprocity to the State Visit undertaken to eSwatini by President Hichilema in June 2022, and the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks on pertinent matters of mutual interest at bilateral, regional and international levels.
He said the bilateral talks will culminate into the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in key sectors such as Trade, Investment, Defence and Security, Energy, Agriculture, Arts and Culture and Forestry.
Mr Kakubo said on Saturday, July 1, King Mswati is scheduled to travel to Ndola where he will grace the 57th Zambia International Trade Fair in Ndola, as Guest of Honour.
“Zambia and Eswatini enjoy warm historical bilateral relations underpinned by shared values and friendship. The two countries collaborate within the context of deepening and broadening cooperation in key areas of mutual interest that include, but are not limited to, the socio-economic and political spheres,” he said.
The Minister said the Kingdom of eSwatini remains a viable partner in fields such as Tourism, Culture, Trade, and Agriculture.
He said the visit by King Mswati, therefore, presents an excellent opportunity for Zambia to consolidate its partnership with Eswatini through pragmatic cooperation in furtherance of common development aspirations, in the spirit of accelerating trade and investment between African countries.
“King Mswati is expected to conclude his engagements on Sunday, 2nd July, 2023, after a tour of the Lusaka South Multifacility Economic Zone,” he said.
(Mwebantu, Friday, 30th June, 2023)