Africa-Press – Zambia. President Edgar Lungu has expressed optimism that the newly commissioned Kazungula Bridge will contribute positively towards the achievement of the prosperous Africa as aspired for in the African Union agenda 2063.
President Lungu has also expressed gratitude to the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for their relentless support and inclusion of the Kazungula project in SADC regional infrastructure development in Africa.
ZANIS reports that President Lungu was speaking during the ceremony to commission the Kazungula Bridge one stop boarder Post in Kazungula yesterday, co-hosted by Botswana.
“This facility will promote and facilitate access to international market through linkages to major sea ports,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu further noted that the facility, gives an impetus to the implementation of the SADC, COMESA and African continental free trade area.
“This bridge in my view will also add more integration between Zambia and Botswana, Tanzania, the Republic of Congo and the East African region,” he added.
“This bridge was worth the effort because the transit time will greatly improve because of trade facilitation measures and boarder management due to the inclusion of a one stop border post,” he stated.
President Lungu stressed that the project is a significant milestone in the bilateral regional and continental cooperation.
He also disclosed that the digital wing of the government called Smart Zambia, has digitalized the department of immigration of Zambia and has put it on government e-service BUS so as to allow people around the world to access services which is supporting multiple payment models such as mobile money payment, electronic wallet payment and direct bank payments.
“I wish to pay tribute to the former presidents of Bostwana and Zambia for the roles they played and whose leadership set the foundation for the Joined project and ensured its continued progression,” he stated.
“From the Zambian perspective, this is another monumental agenda to transforming the country through infrastructure development,” President Lungu said.
He pointed out that government will continue to channel efforts towards enhancing the wellbeing of the people through investment in infrastructure to ensure the country is well linked.
“It is gratifying that President of the Republic of Congo DRC, Felix Tshisekedi is here , because we are working on a similar project with that country called the Kasomena – Mwenda toll road bridge border post and once completed it will decongest the Kasumbalesa border post on the Waives bay and the Ndola lubumbashi corridor,” he said.
And President of Bostwana Mokgweetsi Masisi who co-hosted the event said his country attaches great importance to the friendly bilateral relations that happily subsist between the two countries.
He said that Bostwana regards Zambia as a key partner in development.
“This bridge is testimony to the ever growing cooperation which exist between the two countries,” he said.
Other heads of State who attended the ceremony include president of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi and President of Zimbabwe Emerson Mnangagwa who both praised the project as a development for the whole African continent.
