BILLION-DOLLAR BOOSTER
… HH touches down with $2.4bn UAE investment win
By DAVID KANDUZA
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema touched down at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport this afternoon October 1, 2026, to a roaring reception, bringing home a massive US$2.4 billion investment package from the United Arab Emirates.
Stepping off the aircraft onto a sun-drenched tarmac, the Head of State was met by senior Government officials, party supporters and a media scrum eager for updates on his high-stakes diplomatic mission.
President Hichilema wasted no time in linking the success of his travel directly to ordinary Zambians, framing the multi-billion-dollar commitments as the foundational bedrock of his administration’s aggressive economic revival plan.
“Our mission to the UAE was not a mere diplomatic courtesy; it was a targeted, strategic push anchored entirely on the Zambia Growth Agenda,” President Hichilema declared, his voice cutting through the ambient hum of the airport tarmac.
“We went to pitch Zambia as a prime, secure destination for global capital, and we have returned with concrete commitments that will transform our economic landscape.”
The President outlined that the secured funds were strategically earmarked to supercharge critical sectors of the economy, aiming to create jobs and stabilise the local market.
Addressing critics who have questioned the frequency of executive travel, President Hichilema emphasised that his administration remained laser-focused on delivering tangible results rather than empty political rhetoric.
He noted that international capital required active, high-level engagement to win over competing emerging markets.
The atmosphere at the airport remained electric throughout the briefing, with local traditional dance troupes and singing supporters providing a vibrant backdrop to an announcement that Government officials were already calling a historical turning point for the nation’s treasury.
As the presidential motorcade departed the airport, the message left behind was clear: Zambia was officially open for business and the global markets were starting to buy in.