By Naomi Nyawali in South Africa
Defence Minister Davies Chama says Zambia is in the process of procuring modern equipment for its defence forces.
Mr Chama said the purchase would keep the defence forces abreast with modern developing trends in ground and air warfare capabilities.
He was speaking in Johannesburg, South Africa in transit to Cape-Town where he will be attending that country’s Armed Forces Day on invitation by his South African counterpart.
Mr Chama said officers have been trained in operations depending on threat analysis.
“Zambia is collaborating closely with other SADC countries because Zambia is the current SADC chair on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation to maintain peace in the region.
“This is being achieved through Joint Permanent Commissions (JPC) with member countries. About 800 Zambian soldiers and military observers have since been deployed in different countries on the African continent and beyond to help maintain peace,” he said.
The Minister said the soldiers had been deployed as part on a rotational basis as requested by the United Nations.
He observed that some Zambian peace keepers were deployed in Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Lesotho, and Southern Sudan among other countries.
