By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji is expected in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to attend a two-day 18th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Heads of State and Government Summit.
Zambia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Joseph Chilengi said Mr Malanji will represent President Edgar Lungu at the summit scheduled for October 25 to October 26, 2019.
The theme of the 18th NAM Heads of State and Government summit is : “Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of contemporary world.”
Dr Chilengi said Mr Malanji who will be among 120 Heads of State and Government of NAM member States, is also expected to deliver a special message from President Lungu to Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The envoy said the Summit will be preceded by a Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on October 21 to October 22, 2019 followed by a Preparatory Ministerial Meeting on October 23 to October 24, 2019.
Dr Chilengi said Zambia remains a strong advocate of international peace and security as outlined in the 10 founding principles of NAM and as agreed at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.
He also said that Zambia’s participation at the 18th NAM Heads of State and Government Summit in Baku is testimony of the country’s increased interaction with the international community for sustainable development.
“I wish to state here that Zambia under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia has continued playing a more decisive role in the international arena,” Dr Chilengi said.
The Minister will be accompanied to the Summit by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation (IR&C), Ambassador Chalwe Lombe, and Ambassador Chilengi.
NAM has 120 Member Countries, 17 Observer Countries and 10 Observer Organisations which include the African Union, Commonwealth Secretariat and League of Arab States, among others
Zambia hosted the 3rd NAM Heads of State and Government Summit in Lusaka in 1970.
The Zambian Mission in Turkey covers Azerbaijan as a country of extra accreditation on non-residential basis.
This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press Embassy of the Republic of Zambia Ankara Turkey Jerry Munthali.
