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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has given the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) US$2 million for the construction of its new headquarters in Lusaka.
During the 22nd COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit held last month in Zambia, the authority gave its chairperson, Hakainde Hichilema, the mandate to spearhead the construction of the new offices.
During the summit, Hichilema took over the chairmanship of the authority, meaning he would be representing other COMESA member states at regional meetings.
Government had since allocated the regional body 10 hectares of land along Great East Road for the construction of the project.
The project, estimated to cost US$35 million will be financed using the Public Private Partnership(PPP) model.
Speaking during the handover of the cheque on Monday in Lusaka, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Zambia, Ali Saad Alkahtani, said Saudi Arabia had a significant impact on advancing development in Africa.
Alkahtani said the decision to contribute to the construction of a new COMESA headquarters stemmed from the strong relations the Kingdom enjoyed with all member states.
He said the donation came as an affirmation of the Kingdom’s support in all efforts being undertaken by the regional bloc to strengthen relations among it’s members.
“On the directives of the two holy mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his royal highness the crown prince, prime minister Prince Muhammad bin Salman, I have the pleasure to hand you the cheque,” he said.
COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe Kapwepwe, said the donation kick-started the regional body’s resource mobilisation efforts for the construction of the project.
Kapwepwe said the current headquarters was purchased in 1997 when the secretariate was too small but that now more office space was needed for expanded programmes.
“So today the contribution by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is significant as it puts us a step closer to the beginning in earnest of the construction of the new headquarters,”she said.
Kapwepwe commended Saudi Arabia for the donation saying it would help the secretariat kick-start the financing process.
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