• President Edgar Lungu (left) speaks during the bilateral talks with his visiting Angolan counterpart Mr João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (right) at State House in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

By CHILA NAMAIKO –

President Edgar Lungu has bemoaned the low levels of trade between Zambia and its western neibghbour Angola, saying more commerce can be achieved.
Speaking when he welcomed visiting Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco to Zambia in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Lungu said Angola was a country of strategic importance to Zambia attaining the objectives of its Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).
President Lourenco hailed Zambia’s open-door policy which has earned the country global admiration.
Mr Lourenco said his visit to Zambia was significant as it was an opportunity for Angola to share more ideas centred on enhancing bilateral cooperation for the benefit of people in the two countries.
“Zambia’s open-door policy is good for the benefit of the two countries and my visit is important because it is a sign of important cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
Mr Lourenco also hailed Zambia for playing a critical role in the liberation struggle of Angola and other African countries, citing Zambia’s founding father Kenneth Kaunda’s role in championing peace and unity in the region.
President Lungu said Mr Lourenco’s visit gave an opportunity for the two countries to discuss vital matters of interest on various economic sectors of mutual interest to Zambia and Angola.
“I recall the liberation struggle and the Angolan civil war, during which Zambia hosted Angolan refugees and facilitated the signing of the Lusaka Peace Protocol,” he said.
He congratulated Mr Lourenço on Angola’s demonstration of its growing democracy through the holding of peaceful elections on August 23, last year.
President Lungu assured of his Government’s commitment to continue enhancing the relations and cooperation that exist between Zambia and Angola for the mutual prosperity of both nations and the region at large.
He said he wanted to see regular meetings of the Zambia/Angola Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) , as well as the one on defence and security, whose last sessions were held in Zambia in 2013 and in Angola in 2016.
On trade and investment, Mr Lungu announced that Zambia’s 7th National Development Plan identified Angola as one of the countries of strategic importance to Zambia for purposes of enhancing trade.
He bemoaned the current low levels of trade between the two countries which he said should be much higher given the close proximity and potential for enhanced trade.