Zambia is set to co-host the second Summit for Democracy with the United States, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and South Korea on 29th and 30th March 2023. The virtual summit will attract the participation of over 100 countries, with the involvement of civil society and the private sector.
Ahead of the summit, Former Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba, has expressed his concerns ahead of the upcoming Summit for Democracy that the United States is co-hosting with Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Zambia. The virtual summit will attract the participation of over 100 countries, and Zambia will play host to the event by inviting guests to the hybrid meetings. Civil society and private sector will also have sideline meetings and will discuss a prepared document, “Call to Action, a call to Civil Society and Private Sector to advance Democracy.”
In a recent interview, Amb. Mwamba shared his concerns regarding the USA’s foreign policies, especially President Biden’s perspective on foreign relations, which he believes promotes, among other policies, a push to mainstream and place at the center LGBTQ+ rights in foreign relations and foreign assistance. On 5th February 2021, President Biden signed a foreign policy memo putting the U.S. at the ‘forefront’ of global LGBTQ+ rights. The Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons Around the World directs American agencies operating abroad “to ensure that United States diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBTQ+ persons.”
Amb. Mwamba expressed concern that as Zambia hosts this Summit and receives the USA Vice President, Kamala Harris, it’s imperative that the country does not compromise its cherished national principles and values. “It’s essential that we maintain our cultural and traditional values as we interact with the international community. We need to make sure that we are not being forced to do things that are against our values,” he said. He has called on Zambians to take an interest in the Summit and ensure that only the good values of the country are promoted and protected.
On the other hand, the Minister of Justice, Mulambo Haimbe, believes that the co-hosting of the second Summit for Democracy, slated for 29th and 30th March 2023, is essential to the development of democracy in Zambia. Mr. Haimbe emphasized that the summit would consolidate the efforts the government is making to ensure that it entrenches the tenets of democracy.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has made great strides in entrenching democratic tenets such as the rule of law and constitutionalism,” he said in a recent interview. Mr. Haimbe revealed that Zambia was selected to co-host the Summit for Democracy based on the good governance that the country has continued to enjoy. “Zambia has been a beacon of democracy, as evidenced by the peaceful transition of power from one ruling political party to a new one after democratic elections,” he said. Zambia has enjoyed peaceful changes of governments over a long period that spans over decades.
“The observance of constitutionalism and the rule of law has significantly contributed to the deepening of the democratic process,” Mr. Haimbe added. “Under the leadership of the new dawn, the entrenching of democratic tenets and the manner we relate as a nation and govern the affairs of the country is gratifying.”
Mr. Haimbe also emphasized that democracy is under threat across the world. “The hosting of the second Summit for Democracy will help to promote and restore the ideals of democracy,” he said. “Many would not have realized that democracy across the world is under threat, and it’s key for Zambia to take up this role because we are leading globally to try to bring back democracy.”
