Italian president hosts Zambian counterpart in Rome

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – The presidents of Italy and Zambia met in Rome on Tuesday, discussing the deepening of bilateral ties between their two nations.

Sergio Mattarella and Hakainde Hichilema were meeting for the second time in just over a year as the Southern African nation’s leader started a two-day working visit to the Italian capital.

In a brief statement issued on X, formerly Twitter, Hichilema said the meeting at the Quirinal Palace discussed matters to strengthen ties between Zambia and Italy.

"We explored ways in which Italy can contribute to accelerating Zambia’s development through sustainable alliances with Italian businesses, particularly in the areas of agriculture, energy, tourism and mining," he said.

Hichilema flew directly to Rome from Berlin, where he participated in the Group of 20 Compact with Africa.

After meeting the Italian leader, Hichilema addressed a Zambia-Italian business forum where he marketed the country’s investment potential.