Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, The Right Honourable Ms Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, MP has stated that peace is a precursor for development and has, therefore, urged African countries to stand united in maintaining peace. She said this when she met with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Her Excellency Carolina Cerqueira, MP, at the National Assembly Palace in Luanda, Angola, on Wednesday, 10^th May, 2023.

Honourable Mutti has accordingly recognised the role being played in this regard by the President of Angola, His Excellency Joao Manuel Gonçaves Laurenço, as African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa and Mediator designated to maintain the dialogue between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.    

Speaker Mutti further emphasised the need for the enhancement of bilateral relations between African Parliaments. She noted with concern that there were few Parliamentary Friendship Groups among African Parliaments compared to those with the Parliaments outside the African continent. This has resulted in interactions between African Parliaments being limited to international and regional meetings as well as benchmarking visits. Honourable Mutti announced that the National Assembly of Zambia has established the Zambia/Angola Friendship Group aimed at facilitating interaction and sharing of common interests between the two Parliaments.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Her Excellency Carolina Cerqueira, MP, has called for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Parliaments of Angola and Zambia to enhance cooperation.  Honourable Cerqueira said that the cooperation between the two Parliaments would provide an opportunity for exchange of best practices in enhancing democracy, peace and stability through Parliamentary diplomacy. This would contribute to a conducive environment for fostering development and cooperation between the two countries.

The Right Honourable Ms Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, MP is in Angola at the invitation of her counterpart, Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Her Excellency Carolina Cerqueira, MP. In January, 2023, President Hakainde Hichilema undertook a state visit during which a number of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the two countries were signed including the Bi-National Commission (BNC) as the main framework of monitoring bilateral cooperation.

The objective of the visit is to cement the relationship between the two Parliaments. Further, the two Parliaments will share ideas on best practices in the execution of their Parliamentary mandate with a focus on the legislative, oversight and representative roles. Speaker Mutti is accompanied by Bweengwa Member of Parliament, Hon. Kasauta Michelo, MP; Lundazi Member of Parliament, Hon. Brenda Nyirenda, MP; Independent Roan Member of Parliament, Hon. Joel Chibuye, MP; and the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Roy Ngulube.