SOVEREIGNTY DOES NOT MEAN ISOLATION – Antonio Mwanza
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Antonio Mwanza has cautioned against calls for Zambia to sever ties with the European Union (EU), saying the country should protect its sovereignty while maintaining beneficial international partnerships.
Mr Mwanza said Zambia had every right to demand respect and put its national interests first, but warned that cutting ties with the EU without a clear replacement strategy could affect several development programmes.
He said EU support extended beyond direct government financing and covered education, agriculture, railways, water, energy, health, public finance, artisanal mining, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), climate resilience and trade infrastructure.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with Zambia demanding respect, protecting its sovereignty and putting Zambian interests first,” Mr Mwanza said.
He said Zambia should carefully assess the implications of abandoning partnerships that provided grants and helped mobilise additional financing from European governments and financial institutions.
“But sovereignty does not mean isolation,” he said.
Mr Mwanza said EU commitments included €40 million for education reforms and skills training, €36 million for agriculture, €50 million for railways and €58.3 million towards water and energy programmes.
He said the EU had also provided a €30 million grant towards the Zambia-Tanzania power interconnector, which was intended to strengthen electricity security and facilitate regional power trading.
Mr Mwanza further said a €60 million budget-support package was helping areas including health, education, pharmaceutical manufacturing and public-finance reforms.
“ZAMBIA FIRST – BUT ZAMBIA OPEN TO THE WORLD,” he said.
He warned that ending cooperation could result in reduced grant financing, slower infrastructure development, diminished access to development finance and fewer opportunities for farmers and SMEs.
Mr Mwanza said Zambia should instead use international partnerships to advance its interests, particularly in critical minerals.
“If Europe wants our minerals, demand value addition,” he said.
He said Zambia should engage Europe alongside China, the United States, India, Gulf countries, Japan, South Korea and other African nations while ensuring that such relationships delivered tangible benefits to Zambians.
“Sovereignty is having the strength to engage the world on terms that deliver value to the Zambian people,” Mr Mwanza said.
“OSATUKWANA NG’WENA NGATI MATAKO YAKALI MU MANZI.”
SE