•MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Wylbur Simuusa talks to Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao at a meeting with diplomats accredited to Zambia at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by STEPHEN KAPAMBWE

By KAIKO NAMUSA –

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Wilbur Simuusa has told Parliament that Zambia is highly recognised as a champion of peace and security and has great influence around the continent.
Mr Simuusa was responding to United Party for National Development (UPND) Senanga Central Member of Parliament, Likando Mufalali, who wanted to know how much influence Zambia had in the region and around the continent as it takes part in various summits of Heads of State and Government such as the African Union (AU).
This was after Mr Simuusa highlighted in a ministerial statement, events during the recently held 22nd Ordinary Session of the AU Summit attended by President Michael Sata in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“As Zambia we still have influence, we are recognised as champions of peace and security. We have been approached at different meetings to render advice on issues concerning peace and security,” Mr Simuusa said.
The House also heard that Zambia stood to benefit from the newly endorsed Kuwait Fund for Arab economic development and has targeted further investment in  education infrastructure around the country.
Mr Simuusa said the Assembly endorsed the Kuwait Declaration and the eight resolutions adopted by the 3rd Africa-Arab Summit to grant concessionary loans to African countries in the tune of US$1 billion, in the coming five years.
The funds were intended for use to finance investment and insurance in Africa, through cooperation and coordination with the World Bank and other international institutions.
Mr Simuusa said the Minister of Finance would issue a detailed statement on the benefits to be accrued from accessing the Kuwait Funds and that the funds once accessed, the Government intended to build three more colleges.
He said in response to a question from Chavuma MMD MP, Kenneth Konga that the AU was on course to establish the African Stand-by Force to tackle conflicts around the continent instead of awaiting response from international bodies such as the United Nations.