FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Zambia
is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the African Union,
the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which is headquartered
in Lusaka.
President
Kaunda was a persistent and visible advocate of change in Southern
Africa, supporting liberation movements in Angola, Mozambique,
Namibia, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and South Africa. Many
of these organizations were based in Zambia during the 1970s and
1980s.
President
Chiluba assumed a somewhat higher profile internationally in the
mid- and late 1990s. His government played a constructive regional
role sponsoring Angola peace talks that led to the 1994 Lusaka
Protocols. Zambia has provided troops to UN peacekeeping initiatives
in Mozambique, Rwanda, Angola, and Sierra Leone. Zambia was the
first African state to cooperate with the International Tribunal
investigation of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
In 1998,
Zambia took the lead in efforts to establish a cease-fire in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Zambia was active in the Congolese
peace effort after the signing of a cease-fire agreement in Lusaka
in July and August 1999, although activity diminished considerably
after the Joint Military Commission tasked with implementing the
ceasefire relocated to Kinshasa in September 2001.
During President Mwanawasa's administration, Zambia has contributed troops to support UN peacekeeping operations in Sudan. In 2007, the Zambian Government publicly appealed to other African nations to contribute to a joint African Union-United Nations (UNAMID) peacekeeping force in Darfur. In August 2007, President Mwanawasa assumed the SADC Chairmanship and affirmed his commitment to launching a free trade agreement in 2008.
Zambia's history of stability and its commitment to regional peace has made it a haven for large numbers of refugees. Currently, Zambia hosts 113,600 refugees (down from a high of 203,000 in 2002), including roughly 56,100 Congolese, 40,700 Angolans, and 16,800 other nationalities (mainly Rwandans, Burundians, and Somalis). In recent years, Zambia has made serious efforts to repatriate many of these refugees, including an estimated 108,000 Angolan and 7,500 Congolese refugees.
U.S.-ZAMBIAN
RELATIONS
The United States and Zambia enjoy warm relations. The United States works closely with the Zambian Government to defeat the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is ravaging Zambia, to promote economic growth and development, and to effect political reform needed to promote responsive and responsible government. The United States is also supporting the government's efforts to root out corruption. Zambia is a beneficiary of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The U.S. Government provides a variety of technical assistance and other support that is managed by the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Threshold Program, Centers for Disease Control, Department of Treasury, Department of Defense, and Peace Corps. The majority of U.S. assistance is provided through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), in support of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
In addition to supporting development projects, the United States has provided considerable emergency food aid during periods of drought and flooding through the World Food Program (WFP) and is a major contributor to refugee programs in Zambia through the UN High Commission for Refugees and other agencies.
DEFENSE
The Zambian Defense Force (ZDF) consists of the army, the air force, and Zambian National Service (ZNS). The ZNS, while operating under the Ministry of Defense, is responsible primarily for public works projects. The ZDF is designed primarily for internal defense. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has hit the ZDF especially hard.
The ZDF has contributed to African Union and United Nations peacekeeping
operations in Africa, and in 2005 became a partner in the African Contingency
Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) program. The first iteration of ACOTA
peacekeeper training took place in 2007.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
In 2007, U.S. assistance to Zambia exceeded $259 million. USAID's program in Zambia included over $116 million for HIV/AIDS programs utilizing PEPFAR funding and $11 million to fight corruption and increase trade under the MCA Threshold Program. In addition to programs funded through PEPFAR, the President's Malaria Initiative, and the Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program, USAID's program in Zambia supported training and technical assistance to promote economic growth through trade and investment; create health and educational opportunities to improve lives; and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS through multi-sectoral responses.
Peace
Corps
A country agreement inviting the Peace Corps to work in Zambia was signed by the United States and Zambia on September 14, 1993. The first group of volunteers was sworn in on April 7, 1994. In 2007, the Peace Corps program in Zambia continued to increase understanding between Zambians and Americans. More than 160 two-year Volunteers and as many as 10 extension and Crisis Corps Volunteers promote sustainable development through their activities in agricultural and natural resource management, health and sanitation, rural education, and humanitarian assistance. Volunteers are working in eight of Zambia's nine provinces building local capacity to manage family fish farms, to promote food security and positive resource management practices near forest reserves, to implement health reforms at the village level, to promote and support rural education, and to extend HIV/AIDS education and prevention efforts through full participation in PEPFAR. Volunteers live primarily in rural villages in remote parts of the country without running water, electricity, or other amenities. New trainees undertake training in local language, culture, and the relevant technical specialty for 9-12 weeks at a center in the Chongwe district of Lusaka province.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Carmen Martinez
Deputy Chief of Mission--Michael Koplovsky
Public Affairs Officer--Christopher Wurst
Political/Economic Section Chief--Jill Derderian
Consular Officer--Malia Heroux
Defense Attaché--Lt. Col. David Dougherty
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--vacant
USAID Mission Director--Melissa Williams
Peace Corps Director--Cynthia Threlkeld
The U.S. Embassy in Zambia is at the corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues (P.O. Box 31617), Lusaka (tel: 260-1- 250955; fax 260-1-252225).
