By MILDRED KATONGO –
A FOURTEEN-member delegation comprising six British Members of Parliament (MPs) is expected in the country to participate in the 134th International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly that will be held in Lusaka this month.
The IPU Assembly will be held from March 19-23 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) and Radisson Blu Hotel and will convene a general debate on ‘Rejuvenating democracy, giving voice to youth’.
The British parliamentarians will be led by Nigel Evans, Andrew Gwynne, David Mackintosh, Graham Jones, Stephen Pound, Baroness Hooper, Andrew Kennon, Rick Nimmo, Dominique Rees and other IPU staff.
Mr Evans hoped that the Assembly would provide an opportunity to learn more about Zambia and its people especially to first-time visitors.
He said this when Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Muyeba Chikonde and first secretary-tourism Donald Pelekamoyo delivered a briefing at West Minster to highlight the current matters of interest to the parliamentarians.
This was contained in a statement released by first secretary for Press and public relations at the Zambian High Commission in the United Kingdom, Abigail Chaponda.
The topics of discussion included politics, press freedom, tourism, Government policy and programmes, gender mainstreaming, health policy and youth involvement in the economy and politics.
Mr Chikonde said the objective of the brief was to highlight the current matters of interest to the parliamentarians and relevant to the Assembly’s theme — Youth Engagement — which included politics, Press freedom, tourism, Government policy, gender equality, health policy and youth empowerment and involvement in politics.
He said the briefing was an opportunity for the members to ask questions of interest and getting a better and general understanding of the issues highlighted prior to the MPs’ visit.
“It was important to know that the Assembly will attract delegates from all over the world, so it provides the opportunity to further market Zambia’s hospitality,” he said.
