• President Lungu, (second left) and First Lady Esther with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and
his wife Grace shortly before a closed door meeting at State House in Harare yesterday.
Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
By CATHERINE NYIRENDA in Harare, Zimbabwe –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday held a private meeting with his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe at State House.
Meanwhile, the President arrived here to attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) extraordinary summit, which will also discuss xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
President Lungu, who was in the company of First Lady Esther and other Government officials, arrived at Zimbabwe State House at 16:40 hours.
He was welcomed by President Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s First Lady Grace.
The President proceeded to a private meeting with Mr Mugabe which lasted for more than two hours.
After the meeting, Mr Lungu said they had discussed a number of issues which would be made known to the public during a meeting to be held today.
“Though it’s not my first time here, but it is my first official visit, am getting used to this country and I am learning a lot from President Mugabe who is an elder Statesman,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu will today address the SADC Extraordinary Summit where he will talk about the importance of industrialisation.
Special Assistance to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda said Mr Lungu’s address at the summit will focus on critical points of industrialisation that the region has agreed to embark on within an agreed time frame.
President Lungu will emphasise on the need for countries like Zambia to increase value addition to their products so that they get the necessary benefits from them.
He will also stress the need for collaboration among SADC member States so that growth is enjoyed by all the countries.
After the meeting, the President will travel to Bulawayo where he has been invited for a State visit and to open Zimbabwe’s International Trade Fair.
Mr Lungu’s plane touched down at Harare International Airport at about 15:10 hours.
