Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pledged to deepen cooperation with Zambia following President Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration for a second term, saying the renewed mandate demonstrates the trust Zambians have placed in his leadership.
Speaking at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, Mr Mnangagwa described Zambia and Zimbabwe as longstanding brothers and pledged continued cooperation between the two countries in pursuit of shared development goals. He said the two nations enjoyed excellent relations strengthened by close historical, cultural and economic ties, and that their two peoples share close historical convictions built on the idea that political differences should never become national conflicts.
He commended Zambia for backing Zimbabwe’s successful bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027 to 2028 term, calling it evidence of the strength of regional solidarity. Mr Mnangagwa said he was confident that under the new mandate entrusted to Mr Hichilema by Zambians, the two countries would continue working together to broaden bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of their peoples.
Mr Mnangagwa urged African countries to take greater responsibility for their own development, modernisation and industrialisation rather than looking outward for solutions, arguing that the continent must build, modernise and industrialise its economies primarily through its own efforts. He said Africa must never apologise for being a proud, sovereign and independent continent, but must recognise that the responsibility to build and industrialise lies primarily with Africans themselves.
The Zimbabwean leader was among five African heads of state who attended the inauguration, alongside representatives from several other countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, eSwatini, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Rwanda and Mozambique, in what was widely seen as a strong regional endorsement of Zambia’s democratic transition.
He cited Zambia’s debt restructuring, exchange-rate stabilisation and declining inflation among the key achievements recorded under Mr Hichilema’s leadership during his first term, saying these reforms had positioned the country well for the growth phase now beginning.
Mr Mnangagwa said Zambia and Zimbabwe’s economic ties, including energy cooperation through the shared Kariba hydropower system, remained central to both nations’ development ambitions, and that the two countries would continue harnessing opportunities presented by the Southern African Development Community region and the wider African continent.
He said both nations remained mindful that the responsibility to build, develop, modernise and industrialise their respective countries lies with themselves, and pledged Zimbabwe’s continued partnership as Zambia embarks on the second phase of its Grow Zambia Agenda. His remarks drew warm applause from the crowd, many of whom had travelled from across the region to witness the ceremony, and were echoed by other visiting leaders who similarly framed Mr Hichilema’s re-election as a moment for renewed regional cooperation rather than continued rivalry.
