President Hichilema said Zambia and Malawi have long standing, shared historical values which must be harnessed and celebrated.
Malawi and Zambia will seek ways to cooperate more on trade and investment opportunities, Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said Tuesday during a one-day meeting with his Zambian counterpart President Hakainde Hichilema.
President Chakwera added in a joint press briefing at Kamuzu Palace that key areas of trade and tourism need to be further explored as the two countries share a long border.
“Our relations have to be nurtured and watered and we are here to confirm that the relations are important,” President Hakainde Hichilema said.
“Zambia and Malawi have long standing, shared historical values which we must all harness and celebrate. A good neighbour is a protected neighbor,” President Hichilema added.
This visit comes at a time when both Malawi and Zambia are facing internal issues.
In Malawi, there is an escalating disappointment with president Chakwera's government.
Last month, protesters thronged the streets to demonstrate against the high cost of living, corruption and nepotism in Malawi for the first time since Chakwera came to power, inheriting an almost bankrupt economy in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team reached a staff-level agreement with the Zambian authorities on a new arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility for 2022-2025 to help restore macroeconomic stability and provide the foundation for an inclusive economic recovery.