Round Table Meeting on Nepal-Zambia Relations: The Future Ahead

The Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA) and The High Commission Republic of Zambia, New Delhi  hosted a Round Table meeting titled “Nepal- Zambia Relations: The Future Ahead” in the capital. Judith K.K Kang’goma Kapijimpanga, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia to Nepal, delivered the keynote speech, with a general presentation on the geographical, economic and political aspects of the country. She shared that Zambia and Nepal present similarities as both are high-altitude and landlocked countries. Official relations between the two states are quite ancient as they were both members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Previous Nepali monarchs had visited Zambia on several occasions.She further stressed that both Zambia and Nepal have agriculture and tourism as major source of national economy, and these sectors provide an enormous opportunity to explore and invest.  Thus both countries could exploit this avenue for better bilateral trade relations.  Other opportunities of investment in both countries that she identified were transportation, telecommunications and education. She highlighted that Zambia is also a gateway to Southern, Central and Eastern Africa, and can become an important market.  Zambia economy is integrated and it’s a member of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).