The celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome was celebrated in Lusaka in a televised debate on the relations between Europe and Africa, broadcasted in prime time on ZNBC, and attended by prominent personalities including Hon Cécile Kyenge, arrived on purpose from Europe, the Assistant Secretary of COMESA, Amb. Kipyego Cheluget, the Director General for Trade, on behalf of the Zambian Minister of Economic Development. The Minister of Finance, Felix Mutati, was also present and intervened during the "question time". Civil society was represented by Mrs. Engwase Mwale, an activist in gender issues and representant of NGOs, and the entrepreneurship by Mrs. Roseta Chabala, Head of manufacturing, and the metallurgical industry. Also present were the ambassadors of EU, France, Germany, Finland and Italy.
The debate resulted in a public reflection on Europe, its results - not only in the economic field -, as well as its problem, and its persisting value as a model for African regional integration. The Hon Kyenge gave a particular contribution to the quality and the level of the discussion, talking in a simple and accessible manner about Europe, its values and its opportunities, as well as the challenges still open, with the aim of facilitating at most an understanding of the debate to the general public, which, in Zambia, despite not feeling fully the technical issues, has knowledge of the problems represented by the output of the UK, the temptations of populism, and the difficulty of responding with demonstrations of solidarity to the contingent emergency of migrants.
During his visit to Zambia, the Hon. Kyenge has devoted attention to various initiatives under way in the country: meeting with Italian doctors specialised in pediatric vascular surgery operations promoted by Mission Children in Zambia, setting up of a collaboration with the Italian National Institute of Health, visiting the diocesan hospital Mtendere at Chirundu, run by the Sisters of Charity, and the examination of its various needs, cooperating with the Comesa Business Council on the "External Investment Plan", which will be launched shortly by the EU, meeting with the mayor of Chilanga (interested in launching a twinning with an Italian city), who should be invited to a meeting organized by the European Parliament, future creation of a library for the NGO In And Out of the Ghetto, which operates in Bauleni compound in Chilanga, and meeting with NGOs working in the city of Lusaka.
