Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has arrived back home in the early morning hours of today after he described his trip as a series of successful and progressive meetings at the EU – AU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, and our positive engagement with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican.
The President said that he will continue engaging with partners in our quest to grow our economy and create an environment for business and investment, adding that trade and development are at the center of our agenda.
The President said that he believed in the power of democracy, collaboration, and partnership to benefit Zambians and that Zambia is getting better and will be better.
While in Rome, according to the Vatican, the President was received by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday morning and following the audience with the Holy Father, President Hichilema met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Monsignor Miros?aw Wachowski, the Undersecretary for Relations with States.
A statement from the Holy See Press Office indicated some of the major topics covered by the “cordial discussions,” including aspects of the country’s economic and social situation, and the valued contribution of the Church in various sections of society. The issue of universal access to Covid-19 vaccines and treatment was also treated, as well as the possibility of further study with regard to the drafting of a bilateral agreement between Zambia and the Holy See, “as a further sign of respectful cooperation.”
During the papal audience, Pope Francis presented President Hichilema with a mosaic of the biblical figure of Noah, with the words “With Noah God opens a way of salvation, for the creation and for every human being.” The Holy Father also gave the president a collection of documents from his pontificate, including the 2022 Message for Peace; the Document on Human Fraternity; and a book on the Statio Orbis of 27 March 2020, when Pope Francis prayed for and with the whole world to overcome the coronavirus emergency.
For his part, President Hichilema offered Pope Francis a sculpture in wood and copper representing the typical musical instruments of Zambia. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vatican News on the sidelines of his visit to the Vatican, Mr Hichilema, a devout Adventist, spoke highly of his encounter with Pope Francis. He said he informed the Holy Father that his government respects the freedom of worship for all Churches and prioritizes unity among Zambia.
“I am glad to be here, and I am grateful to the Vatican and the establishment for giving us this opportunity to meet the Pope early in our presidency -we are still less than six months into office. We are really grateful,” said Mr Hichilema.
“We as a government will embrace all religious organisations in our country. They all have space, and they all have the right to basically promote their evangelical work,” said the Zambia President.
The President said he was impressed that Pope Francis is aware and well informed about the development policies that his government has embarked upon. He praised Pope Francis for his progressive views on development in Africa.
“The Pope is aware of our educational policies of offering education to all, including those that are disadvantaged. I told the Pope that I am a beneficiary of free education. Born in a village and education made the difference,” Mr Hichilema explained.
Education will be fundamental to changing Zambian society, he said. While encouraging private education for those who can afford it, the Zambian President is keen that his country should also care for disadvantaged school children.
Regarding unity in Zambia, President Hichilema told Vatican News that his government values and is pushing unity in diversity among all Zambians because it is the decent thing to do. The government, he said, must be a reflection of that diversity. For this reason, he continued, his government is composed of ministers from all ten provinces of Zambia.
Zambia has 72 tribes and many more dialects -the result of a complex history in patterns of Bantu migrations. The President further pledged to distribute the country’s resources equally among the country’s regions.
“We want to unite the people of Zambia through equity, fair treatment of all regions. It is through this platform that we want to continue binding and bonding ourselves as one Zambia, one nation and one people,” he reiterated.
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