Lusaka, Zambia
ADMINISTRATOR POWER: Let me just say how thrilled I am to be here on behalf of President Biden in Zambia. Let me express my thanks to Cheryl, of course, who’s our chargé here at the mission, but also longtime USAID mission director. The partnership between the United States and Zambia is strong. It’s always been strong, but it is getting stronger. And I hope to use my visit, this meeting, the outreach that I’m doing also to Zambian farmers and business people and civil society members, as well as later today my meeting with your President, to hear what more we can do to support the aspirations of the Zambian people.
And I think you mentioned a couple longstanding initiatives that the United States has supported here in Zambia. The fact that Zambia’s life expectancy is up 20 years, you know, over a 20 year period I think is one testament to the strength of the collaboration in the health sector. We’ve seen that also on COVID with vaccine donations, but also with support for the community organizers who are out there making these vaccination campaigns happen.
I was just out at an agricultural project. It’s no secret that there is significant food insecurity in Zambia and across the continent, and around the world. We are working now really intensively to try to extend additional support to small farmers, small scale farmers here, to expand loan guarantees to small and medium sized enterprises, to support the effort to secure fertilizer at a time when fertilizer is scarce. The main thing I just want to stress is that the United States really wants to show up for those in the world who want to strengthen, not weaken, the rule of law. To strengthen, not weaken, democratic accountability. And, you know, President Biden really did notice the election of President Hichilema here. He really noticed the commitments that the New Dawn party has made to political and economic reform. President Biden has noticed the initial steps that have been taken, and I have been sent here to talk about what we can do to accelerate the path to reform. Because the job growth and economic opportunities that USAID has long supported Zambia being -- trying to increase, that effort goes hand in hand with the political reform, the anticorruption, the better business environment reforms that the President and your administrators have committed to.
So, I hope in this meeting and subsequent meetings we can talk about how USAID can help you accelerate that reform path that you are on, so as to increase the economic returns and the number of jobs, and the amount of food security and prosperity that the people of Zambia can enjoy. Thank you.