Zambia's Ambassador to China, Ivan Zyuulu, Dies After Illness

Zambia's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Ivan Zyuulu, has died.

His passing was announced by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, in a statement issued to ZNBC News in Lusaka. Mr Kangwa said the Ambassador died on Wednesday at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, following an illness.

According to the statement, a funeral gathering is being held at House Number 28, Boniface Simutowe Road, in the Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI) area of Lusaka, where mourners have begun to gather. Mr Kangwa said burial arrangements were yet to be finalised and would be communicated in due course.

Ambassador Zyuulu served as Zambia's chief envoy to China, one of the country's most important diplomatic postings. In that role, Mr Kangwa said, he played a key part in deepening the relationship between Lusaka and Beijing, working to strengthen both diplomatic ties and economic cooperation between the two nations at a time of growing engagement on trade, investment and infrastructure.