PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY PREREQUISITE TO ENHANCED COOPERATION AS SPEAKER MUTTI VISITS HER ALGERIAN COUNTERPART

Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, the Right Honourable Mrs. Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, MP on Sunday, 21st May, 2023 begun an official visit in Algiers, Algeria to cement bilateral relations between  the Zambian Parliament and the Algerian Parliament. She is accompanied by Mr. Oliver Amutike, MP, Chairperson of the Zambia-Algeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, Mrs. Chrizoster Halwiindi Phiri, MP, Mr. Elias Daka, MP, the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Roy Ngulube and some members of staff. Madam Speaker’s Delegation was seen off at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport by the Ambassador of Algeria to Zambia, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Saadi on Friday,19th May, 2021.

Hon Mutti and her Delegation begun their visit by meeting His Excellency Mr. Brahim Boughali, Speaker of the People’s National Assembly at the Algerian Parliament Buildings. Hon Boughali stated that the visit by Hon Mutti was an historic one since there had not been a Head of the Legislature from Zambia that had visited the Algerian Parliament. He  expressed happiness that during Hon Mutti’s visit, the Algeria-Zambia Parliamentary Friendship Group would be launched at the National People’s Assembly in Algeria the way the Zambia-Algeria Friendship Group had been launched earlier this year in January.

Hon Mutti thanked her host and accompanying staff for receiving her Delegation warmly. She stated that the Zambian Parliament would continue to promote democracy and commended the new dawn government of President Hakainde Hichilema in its fight against corruption and for introducing free education up to Secondary school level. Hon Mutti later met His Excellency Mr. Salah Goudjil, President of the Council of the Nation which is the Senate or upper House of the Parliament of Algeria. The launch of the Algeria-Zambia Parliamentary Friendship Group took place at the Algeria Parliament Buildings on Sunday 21st May, 2023 and was chaired by Mr. Salim Mara, Chairperson of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation Emigration. Mr. Oliver Amutike, MP, Chairperson of the Zambia-Algeria Friendship Group and fellow Members of Parliament had an opportunity to interact with their colleagues in the launched Group. The Delegation is due to depart from Algeria on 25th May, 2023