Zambia receives $15 million grant from China

The Chinese government has given Zambia an initial grant amounting to US$15million for various projects to be agreed upon by the two countries, authorities say

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, said there was need to continue strengthening strategic communication and policy synergy.

Mwiimbu revealed this during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Xiaohong, the Minister of Public Security, according to a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday by Zambia’s Second Secretary for Communications in China, Catherine Kashoti.

He stated that this was to fully implement the 9 programmes announced by China at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in November 2021.

“During the 8th FOCAC Ministerial Conference, the President of the People’s Republic of China said he would work closely with African countries including Zambia,” Mwiimbu recalled.

Meanwhile, Mwiimbu said that Zambia was still considering the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries on mutual visa exemption of Diplomatic and Service passport holders.

“As soon as the MoU is cleared by our Ministry of Justice, we shall engage you through diplomatic channels,” Mwiimbu explained.

The Minister stated that government would like to open up new areas of cooperation though capacity building in asset tracing and recovery.

He identified other areas as digital forensic, cyber-crime investigations, forensics investigations, explosives and bomb disposal.

“Others will include exchange training programs in the area of policing, correctional, anti-terrorism, anti-money laundering and immigration,” Mwiimbu said.

He called for more cooperation in the acquisition of equipment such as communication interception tools, body scanners and sensors, digital forensic investigation equipment, mobile geo-tracking equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Mwiimbu’s visit comes at the backdrop of President Hakainde Hichilema’s state visit to China on bilateral engagements with his counterpart President Xi Jinping.

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