. Cameron

By CLEVER ZULU –
BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has congratulated president Edgar Lungu on his election as Zambia’s sixth President.
In a message to Mr Lungu, the Prime Minister said, “the UK and Zambia are long standing partners and I look forward to seeing the bonds between our two nations grow in the years to come”.
The Prime Minister assured of the UK’s continued support for Zambia’s development and that the UK’s programmes will continue to cover a range of sectors, with an increasing focus to benefit Zambia’s poorest people.
“I hope that we can also work with you to deepen further our economic and commercial ties. With our full support, British companies are already contributing their know-how and experience, and encouraging responsible investment for the long term,” Mr Cameron said in a statement released in Lusaka by the British High Commission communication officer Tresford Mumba.
The Prime Minister said he hoped that UK and Zambia can strengthen dialogue on regional and global issues.
Mr Cameron was grateful that Zambia was to send troops to UN’s peace keeping mission in the Central African Republic.
“I am conscious of the challenges you face as President, but I am confident that this is a time of opportunity for Zambia. I can assure you of continued UK support for political and economic development to help create a stable, prosperous nation for all,” said Mr Cameron.
British High Commissioner to Zambia James Thornton in delivering the message from the Prime Minister said that he was extremely encouraged by the messages in the President’s inaugural speech about tackling poverty, about the private sector and about reconciliation.
In echoing the Prime Minister’s comments on Zambia’s role on the international stage, Mr Thornton said he believed that Zambia could play a bigger role in regional and world affairs than it sometimes had recently.
He said he had read with great interest about the various initiatives the President took at the African Union Summit including on South Sudan.