Antananarivo-16th February 2017 – Madagascar’s Head of State, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina who is also Chairperson of COMESA has announced that he would visit Zambia and COMESA Headquarters soon.
Speaking when he accepted Letters of Credence from Zambia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Madagascar, President Rajaonarimampianina said that he would undertake a state visit to Zambia and use the opportunity to visit COMESA Headquarters.
And President Edgar Lungu has congratulated President Hery Rajaonarimampianina of Madagascar for successfully holding two major international multilateral conferences in the capital Antananarivo.
This was contained in a message of solidarity given on behalf of President Edgar Lungu by Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba, who was presenting his letters of credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Madagascar, at Lavoloha Palace.
Mr. Mwamba said President Edgar Lungu had sent message of congratulations to President Hery Rajaonarimampianina for being elected as chairperson of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in the conference that the country hosted in October 2016.
He said that Zambia had special interest in the growth of the free trade area as the country hosted the headquarters of COMESA.
He said President Lungu was so far delighted with the leadership of President Rajaonarimampianina.
Mr. Mwamba also stated that President Lungu congratulated the government of Madagascar for successfully hosting the 16th Francophone Summit in November 2016 that saw over 30 countries represented by Heads of State and Government.
He also said the election of President Rajaonarimampianina as President of the Republic of Madagascar in 2013 and his ascension to office in February 2014, had brought lasting peace and stability to the island nation, overcoming the political crisis and conflict that affected the country between 2009 and 2013.
Mr. Mwamba also said that it was Zambia’s hope that the establishment and inauguration of the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) would be processed as earlier discussed by the two heads of states during the visit of President Lungu in October 2016.
During the discussions, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina had requested Zambia to provide teachers of English, as Malagasy had adopted English in its schools alongside official languages of Malagasi and French.
And President Rajaonarimampianina said he enjoyed personal and warm relations with President Lungu and hoped that Mr. Mwamba as Ambassador would help promote bilateral relations between government and the two peoples of Zambia and Madagascar.
Mr. Mwamba presented his letters of credence as Ambassador, to President Hery Rajaonarimampianina in an elaborate ceremony held at the President’s Palace in the Capital Antananarivo.
Ambassador Mwamba was welcomed by the First Secretary of the President at Lavoloha Palace.
He inspected a Guard of Honour and after that, was met by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Beatrice Atallah, who ushered him to the President and to the Ceremony.
After the ceremony, President Rajaonarimampianina held private talks with Ambassador Mwamba.