The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Zambia Hawa Hassan Mohamed has called on African countries to take greater responsibility for their development, peace and prosperity, saying the continent must lead efforts to change perceptions about Africa.
Ms Mohamed said African countries needed to take ownership of their development agendas rather than depend on external actors to determine their priorities.
Speaking in an interview during Zambia’s 62nd Independence Anniversary celebrations, she said Africa had become more aware of global developments and was increasingly seeking to reshape narratives that had historically defined the continent.
She said Zambia’s development ambitions under the Grow Zambia agenda reflected the importance of countries taking charge of their own progress.
She described the agenda as one that Zambians should own and champion, stressing that the responsibility for achieving development goals rested primarily with the people themselves.
“It means that Zambia is going to grow. Zambia is going to do its own thing. The theme is going to be developing by themselves. It is something that we own, we are championing and we are going to do it,” she said.
Ms Mohamed also urged African countries to learn from one another by adopting successful practices from countries that had made progress in key areas of governance and development.
She cited elections as one area where countries could learn from one another, encouraging African nations to observe successful electoral processes and adopt positive practices that could strengthen democratic governance across the continent.
She pointed out that sharing experiences and replicating successful approaches could help African countries advance common development goals and strengthen cooperation.
And the United Kingdom (UK) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Zambia’s development ambitions under the Grow Zambia agenda.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Zambia Simon ten Brinks-Jackson said the UK stood ready to continue supporting the country in achieving its development objectives.
He described the Grow Zambia agenda as forward-looking and optimistic, noting that the country had significant opportunities for growth and development.
“The Grow Zambia agenda is really forward-leaning, really optimistic, and the UK stands ready to continue supporting Zambia with those objectives,” the High Commissioner said.
The diplomat also congratulated the people of Zambia on the country’s 62nd Independence Anniversary, describing the occasion as special.
Freedom fighters also called on Zambians to safeguard the peace emphasizing that it was not easy to attain it.
Mr Stanely Mhlanga urged the young people to maintain Zambia’s peace if the country is to sustain its development.
Meanwhile, a youth, Pauline Bwalya, urged young people to remain peaceful, avoid abusive behaviour and contribute positively to national development as the country commemorates its 62nd Independence Day.
Ms Bwalya said Independence Day should remind citizens of the importance of preserving the freedom secured by those who fought for the country’s liberation.
Ms Bwalya encouraged young people to uphold peace, noting that their conduct was important to Zambia’s development and the country’s image internationally.
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