• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu (left) with Ethiopian Minister of Sugar Corporation Shiferaw Jarso on arrival at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY

By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday morning left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 24th Session of the African Union (AU) Summit, where he is expected to deliver his maiden speech among other high-level meetings.
Mr Lungu departed Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) at 08:48 hours aboard the Presidential Challenger.
The President was accompanied by First Lady Esther, his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and Special Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs Hibeene Mwiinga.
Mr Lungu told journalists before departure that he was going to attend the summit to learn new ideas on how to empower women in line with the summit theme.
“I am going to learn more ideas of how to empower women, the theme is about women and development,” Mr Lungu said.
The President was seen off by Vice-President Inonge Wina, PF secretary general Davies Chama, Home Affairs Minister Davis Mwila, Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula, service chiefs, Government and party officials.
The AU summit is the first high-level meeting that President Lungu is attending after he was sworn in as Republican President on January 25.
Meanwhile, ANTHONY MULOWA reports from Addis Ababa that the presidential jet carrying Mr Lungu and his entourage touched down at Bole International Airport at 13:30 hours yesterday.
Ethiopian Minister of Sugar Corporation, Shiferaw Jarson, Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, Tourism Minister Jean Kapata and Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Susan Sikaneta welcomed Mr Lungu.
The President and his entourage later drove to Hilton Hotel where he would be lodged.
This year’s summit is themed ‘Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development Towards Africa’s Agenda 2063’.
A series of high-level bilateral meetings have also been lined up for Mr Lungu on the sidelines of the summit.
Mr Lungu is today expected to give his maiden speech after winning the presidential election, following the death of President Michael Sata.
He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Malawian President Peter Mtharika, South African President Jacob Zuma, Kenyan leader Uhuru Kenyatta, Congolese President Joseph Kabila, Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
The President, during his two-day visit, would also meet more than 300 Zambians working for various international organisations in Addis Ababa at the residence of the ambassador.