Earlier this week, Zambia and Rwanda embarked on signing several memorandums of understanding (MoU) to boost trade between the two East African countries. There were seven deals signed in total, and these covered important areas such as agriculture, migration, trade and investment.
At a ceremony in Livingstone city, southern Zambia, the country’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Stanley Kakubo and his Rwandan counterpart Vincent Biruta signed the agreements, which were witnessed by Rwandan president Paul Kagame and his Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema.
Zambia and Rwanda have an important import/export relationship, as the two trade key commodities. Zambia provides Rwanda with soy bean, raw sugar and corn imports, while Rwanda provides Zambia with edible oils.
According to a statement by Zambia’s presidential spokesperson, the country will be relying on its relationship with Rwanda to create more jobs, ensure higher overall food security and help strengthen its current economy. “Zambia is also using this opportunity to learn and share best practices in areas of information and communication technology as well as the areas of easing the cost of doing business,” the statement read.
Rwanda and Zambia have agreed to work together to improve sustainable agriculture through research, extension, and technology transfer, pest and disease eradication, water management, irrigation, and agricultural mechanisation.
“Our focus is that before we look elsewhere for opportunities, we must seek for solutions within our region,” president Hichilema shared via social media.
President Hichilema has focused his attention on neighboring countries since taking office in August, with the goal of forging strong trade connections.
Before attending a state banquet in honor of Kagame, the two Heads of State, along with Zambia’s First Lady Mutinta Hakainde, will take a tour of Victoria Falls, a cascade on the Zambezi River in Southern Africa that provides habitat for various distinct kinds of flora and animals.
On the last day of his visit, Kagame will visit Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to one half of the Mosi-oa-Tunya – ‘The Smoke That Thunders,’ renowned around the world as Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River.
