By JOHN SAKALA
The Japanese government has reaffirmed its commitment to assist Zambia with technical support in public financial management in order to improve Zambia’s debt sustainability and maintenance of sound fiscal policy.
Japanese Ambassador to the African Union, Fumio Shimizu made the assurance when he paid a courtesy call on Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Susan Sikaneta.
Mr Shimizu said japan was watching with keen interest the engagement between the Zambian government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He said the reciprocal visit that Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe will undertake to Zambia further indicates the deepened bilateral relations that exist between the two countries.
And Ms Sikaneta said Zambia valued the relationship that exists between the two countries.
She said relationship between the two countries could be seen from the many Japanese funded projects in Zambia that includes roads, bridges, schools and hospitals.
She expressed gratitude for the reassurance by the Japanese government that it would help Zambia in its debt sustainability programme. She further said President Edgar Lungu was committed to ensuring there was debt sustainability.
“We called on Japanese government to support President Lungu in his noble effort of creating peace in the SADC region. President Lungu is of the view that no sustainable development can be achieved in the region and Africa as a whole in the absence of peace.
“Zambia efforts towards peace building could be seen from the peaceful environment that exists in Zambia. We thank the Japanese government for the contribution towards the improvement of access to health services through the grant aid project for upgrading hospitals in Lusaka,” he said.
This is according to a media statement made available to The Independent Observer by First Secretary for Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza.
