From CHARLES SIMENGWA,
in Paris, France –

• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu (left) with French President Francois Hollande (center) at Elysee Palace in Paris, France yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has assured a prominent consortium of French investors (French blue-chip executives) of security of their potential investments in Zambia because of political stability in the country and of his coming back to the State House after August 11, general election to ensure no disruption to business.
Speaking at the Breakfast meeting with the French investors at Le Meurice Hotel, Mr Lungu said Zambia has investment incentives of political stability, good track record of governance, democracy, and human rights, which mean that Zambia could be trusted.
“I will be coming back after the August elections, because we have gained the confidence of the Zambian people that we can deliver on that which we promise. We have a good track record of governance, democracy and human rights,” President Lungu told the business executives.
Mr  Lungu added that he would continue to foster peace and unity so that Zambia remained the last bastion of peace in the region and an example of togetherness.
Meanwhile, a prominent consortium of French investors impressed with Zambia’s investment climate has expressed interest to set up businesses in the country and help bolster employment creation.
CIAN-French Council of Investors in Africa president, Alexandre Vilgrain said here yesterday that French companies were encouraged by Zambia’s political and economic stability.
He said this in an interview after a business breakfast with President Lungu at Le Meurice Hotel.
Mr Lungu was accompanied to the talks by Energy Minister Dora Siliya, her Commerce counterpart Margaret Mwanakatwe, Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Amos Chanda, and other officials.
“The President has brought some good news about investment opportunities in Zambia and we are very pleased to have received him to speak about the cooperation with French companies.
“We already have a good presence of French companies in Zambia such as Lafarge, which want to continue operating there, but there are others which are looking forward to going to your country,” Mr
Vilgrain said.
Later, Mr Chanda said in an address to journalists that President Lungu had assured the investors that Zambia was politically stable, and that their businesses would be safe.
The Head of State said the country revolved around a free market economy, which encouraged private sector investments.
The President and the investors focused their talks on the key economic sectors which included energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure development.
“The investors are happy with the one million hectares of land, which Government has set aside in each province for development of farm blocs. The investors expressed interest in setting up businesses in agro processing, and telecommunications and airspace technology,” Mr Chanda said.
He said the nagging energy crisis was discussed, with the business executives committing themselves to commencing investments in Zambia’s energy sector in the next three months.
President Lungu later held private talks with former French Energy minister and founder of ‘Energies for Africa Project’ president, Jean Louis Borloo.
Mr Borloo’s project aims at lighting Africa using renewable energy with a fund of up to US$5 billion by the year 2018.
During the talks, Mr Borloo expressed his desire to invest in Zambia’s energy sector.
Mr Chanda said President Lungu had directed the Energy minister to open a dialogue with Mr Borloo to chart the way forward.
The Head of State later toured the French National Museum of Natural History where he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of cooperation between the museum and National
Museums Board of Zambia.
Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba and National Museums Board of Zambia executive director Flexon Mizinga signed on behalf of Zambia, while France was represented by Ecology Minister Aigole Royel and the museum president, Bruno David.
In another development, Amnesty International (AI) has commended President Lungu profusely for refusing to engage in extra-judicial killings.
President Lungu is internationally known for having recently commuted to life, the death sentence of more than 200 people convicted to die by hanging after having being jailed for capital crimes.