PRESIDENT HICHILEMA’S FOREIGN TRIPS IN LINE WITH THE UPND FOREIGN POLICY GOALS
Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the President of the Republic of Zambia is in Brussels, Belgium for the European Union- African Union Heads of State Summit. Like always, there are some negative reactions from some of the critics of the New Dawn Administration.
There is no doubt we have many critics who sadly have not taken time to familiarize themselves with the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s Foreign Policy goals and President Hichilema’s stance on how among other things he envisages using economic diplomacy to win back international support in his crusade to rebuild the ailing Zambian economy.
The UPND party’s Foreign Policy among other things demands that President Hichilema uses his role to position Zambia for socio-economic and technological growth; it requires him to exploit local and international growth opportunities for Zambia; it requires him to sale the country’s tourism and strategic assets; it requires him to participate in the enhancement of regional and international peace; it requires him to participate and lead in attracting foreign direct investment/ official development aid; and it also requires him to position the country as a regional trade hub.
Suffice to mention that President Hichilema’s outside trips are absolutely in line with the party’s Foreign Policy that holds diplomacy as a fundamental tool in the conduct of state to state affairs. Therefore, President Hichilema’s conduct of foreign affairs is inspired and guided by the party’s Foreign Policy goals, respect for diplomacy, and his desire to restore the country’s relations with the outside world.
President Hichilema has repeatedly stated that he is a firm believer of diplomacy as being a tool with which states address the other states and manage their sovereign affairs in their interaction with other mutually recognized states. He has consistently highlighted the need to use diplomacy in order to communicate national goals, policies and views on various topical governance issues such as climate change, human rights, international security etc.
Clearly so, President Hichilema has already begun putting into practice the various forms of diplomacy. He has already effected Bilateral diplomacy (held talks with individual countries such as South Africa, Malawi, Kenya etc.), Multilateral diplomacy (attended international conferences such as the United Nations General Assembly), Summit diplomacy (attended negotiations in Ethiopia for African Union Heads of States), Ad Hoc diplomacy (sent his Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Stanley Kakubo as a special envoy to among other countries Italy to conduct diplomatic negotiations on specific issues), and Parliamentary diplomacy (Speaker of National Assembly has already been to other countries in order to develop strong relations). Through these diplomatic engagements (meetings, dialogue, and negotiations) it is without doubt that President Hichilema is influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments.
Furthermore, President Hichilema has repeatedly referred to himself as the Chief Marketing Officer of our country Zambia. He has gone about this by using diplomacy as a foreign policy tool to accrue the benefits for Zambia by changing and influencing other countries’ opinions, actions, and/ or policies. In achieving this, President Hichilema has expertly used economic instruments to market Zambia.
As emphasized by the UPND Foreign Policy; Zambia’s advantage over other states should be used in marketing the country to the outside world. President Hichilema is doing just that as he has repeatedly stated the urgent need to turn Zambia’s natural resources into strategic assets. President Hichilema has always held that Zambia’s strategic assets must be used to provide political and strategic leverage.
In a nutshell, it’s not whether President Hichilema must or must not be travelling outside the country. Zambia is not an island. Whilst we can produce copper cobalt, mukula or gold and earn foreign exchange, there are still so many things we need from outside. To access these things economically and continue living in a peaceful Zambia, we must invest in diplomacy and this must be led by President Hichilema. He can effectively do so through pursuing both the party and national foreign policy objectives.
Batuke Imenda
Secretary General
United Party for National Development