Washington, D.C.,25 September 2021 (TDI): The newly elected President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, met with Samantha Power, the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) where they discussed equality and democracy.
The USAID Administrator conveyed her heartily support to the President and the Government of Zambia for their efforts to prevail and work democratic norms in the country and create an environment of equality.
The President of Zambia committed to making democracy work for the people of Zambia. Along with it, the purpose of the meeting was the betterment of the health and energy sector. For this, the USAID announced an additional amount of $18.5 million for the people of Zambia to combat Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS.
Lastly, commitments were also made to work for strengthening democracy and improving the energy sector of the country.
USAID in Zambia
USAID assistance in Zambia focuses on (1) effective, citizen-responsive governance; (2) rural poverty reduction and sustainable natural resource management; (3) utilization of quality health, water and sanitation, and social protection services; and (4) primary education quality.
The relationship between the US and Zambia begin in the 1950s when Zambian students travel to the US for higher education. At independence in 1964, Zambia was considered by many to be the second wealthiest nation in sub-Saharan Africa, however, due primarily to the global reduction in copper prices, by the late 1970s the strong post-independence economy had declined. In 1977, the United States responded by formally creating the USAID mission in Zambia.
USAID’s mission in Zambia is a United States Government focus country for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI); the President’s Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, known as Feed the Future; Mandela Washington Fellows Program; President’s Global Climate Change Initiative; and the U.S. President’s Power Africa and Trade Africa programs.
*Text and information from USAID mission in Zambia for our readers.
