Zambia, Brazil forge tourism partnership at UN summit

Zambia has held a high-level bilateral meeting with Brazil aimed at forging strategic partnerships to transform the tourism sectors of both countries.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2nd UN Tourism Summit held at Radisson Blu Mosi-oa-Tunya in Livingstone.

Tourism Minister. Rodney Sikumba, met with his Brazilian counterpart, Carlos Sobral, National Secretary for Infrastructure, Credit, and Investment in Tourism.

Ministry of Tourism Principal Public Relations Officer, Nelly Banda, confirmed the engagement in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday.

She said the meeting marked a significant step in strengthening cooperation between the two nations in areas such as sustainable tourism development, infrastructure investment, and improved air connectivity.

“Among the key issues extensively discussed was the need to improve air connectivity between the two countries to facilitate travel, trade, and cultural exchange,” Banda said.

The two parties explored the possibility of establishing direct flights between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and key SADC regional hubs, including Zambia.

“Zambia views this partnership as an opportunity to learn from Brazil’s tourism advancements while positioning itself as a leading eco and heritage tourism destination in Africa,” she added.

Banda said the engagement also comes ahead of the 3rd UN Tourism Summit, which Brazil is set to host in 2026.

Zambia looks forward to participating in the event to showcase its tourism potential, engage stakeholders, and build strategic alliances.

“The Ministry of Tourism remains committed to expanding Zambia’s tourism footprint and ensuring the sector contributes meaningfully to national development,” Banda said.

Meanwhile, Sobral reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation and expressed interest in joint ventures, capacity building, and cultural exchange programmes with Zambia.

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