President Hichilema pledges US-Zambia Economic Partnership After Phone Call With Secretary Rubio

In another positive development for US-Zambia engagement, President Hakainde Hichilema announced on Monday afternoon that he shared a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

President Hichilema said: "We expressed our appreciation for President Donald Trump's peace efforts and new approach to development partnerships. Great developments are taking shape and new US-Zambia initiatives are on the horizon."

In a statement issued by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed President Trump's commitment to deepening ties with African countries, including Zambia. Their discussion focused on advancing Zambia's economic transformation agenda, particularly through US private sector involvement, as well as new approaches to deliver on priorities such as private sector growth and Zambia's health care system.

This call followed on from talks also held on Monday between the two governments over a $1.5 billion grant to support the health care sector in Zambia.