MoU and Scholarships on the Agenda for Zambia-Russia Football Ties
Russian Ambassador to Zambia, Azim Yarakhmedov, engaged in discussions with FAZ President Andrew Kamanga at Football House, exploring potential collaborations in football between the two nations.
The meeting, also attended by FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga, focused on a wide range of football matters.
Ambassador Yarakhmedov pledged to lead the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Russian Football Union and FAZ, aiming to solidify bilateral cooperation.
As part of this collaboration, there is a proposal for an international friendly match between Zambia and Russia, set to coincide with Zambia’s 60th-anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations with Russia on October 30th, 2024.
During the discussions, Ambassador Yarakhmedov extended an offer of scholarships for two Zambian students interested in pursuing physical education and administration in Russia.
He emphasized Russia’s commitment to supporting Zambian students through fully-sponsored scholarships.
Congratulating the Chipolopolo for their qualification to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, Ambassador Yarakhmedov expressed pride in Zambia’s national team and encouraged them to continue their hard work.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga welcomed the Russian envoy and emphasized the need for a speedy implementation of the MoU.
Beyond the proposed friendly match, Mr. Kamanga expressed interest in broader collaboration with the Russian government, including areas such as training, infrastructure development, and exchange programs.
“We will put through a proposal for collaboration, and we will wait for the delegation from Moscow to come here so that we can finalize these proposals. The friendly game would be a perfect occasion to mark the 60 years of relations between Zambia and Russia,” Kamanga stated.
He also committed to providing two candidates for the scholarship, expressing hopes to expand the pool of beneficiaries in the future.
