Zambia’s High Commissioner Presents Credentials to ECOWAS, Strengthens Ties with West Africa
His Excellency Mr. George Muhali Imbuwa, Zambia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, has officially presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, accrediting him as High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to ECOWAS. The presentation took place at ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja.
During the ceremony, High Commissioner Imbuwa conveyed warm greetings from Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema to the ECOWAS President and the 15 member states of the regional bloc.
He reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to working closely with ECOWAS to advance shared goals, such as promoting peace, stability, and democracy across Africa.
In his address, the High Commissioner praised ECOWAS for its ongoing efforts to foster economic cooperation among member states, improve living standards, and drive regional development.
He drew parallels between Zambia’s dedication to regional stability through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and ECOWAS’s work on security, particularly its development of a peacekeeping force for conflict zones within West Africa.
Mr. Imbuwa emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between ECOWAS and non-member African states to create positive economic strategies aimed at boosting intra-African trade.
In response, ECOWAS President Dr. Touray commended Zambia’s ongoing efforts to promote peace on the continent. He expressed the hope that African countries would reduce visa restrictions to stimulate trade, noting that it is currently easier to obtain visas for non-African countries than for African nations, which has hindered trade across the continent.
The High Commissioner reiterated Zambia’s commitment to working with ECOWAS for the benefit of the entire African continent, emphasizing that fostering unity and cooperation is key to achieving Africa’s long-term development goals.
This is in a statement issued by Mr. George Sichula, First Secretary-Economic & Trade at the Zambia High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria.
