Bangladesh High Commissioner presents credentials to Zambian President
His Excellency Mr Shah Ahmed Shafi, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to South Africa and concurrently accredited to Zambia, formally presented his Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, accrediting him as Non-Resident High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Zambia.
The ceremony was held on 2 April 2025 at the Presidential Guest House in Lusaka, with heads of mission from four countries, including Bangladesh, Canada and Belarus.
In his remarks, High Commissioner Shafi reaffirmed the friendly relations between Bangladesh and Zambia and highlighted opportunities for expanding trade and economic ties. He noted Bangladesh's recent development strides and expressed keen interest in enhancing cooperation, particularly in the ready-made garments and pharmaceutical sectors.
He encouraged the Zambian side to explore Bangladesh's export offerings and consider engaging Bangladeshi professionals and skilled workers. He proposed the establishment of RMG factories in Zambia with Bangladeshi expertise, which could generate local employment and facilitate access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
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The High Commissioner also called for deeper people-to-people connections and invited the Zambian government to send a high-level business delegation to Bangladesh later this year.
A day earlier, on 1 April 2025, High Commissioner Shafi paid a courtesy call to Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment.
President Hichilema welcomed the new ambassadors and high commissioners in his response and reiterated Zambia's commitment to fostering strong bilateral and multilateral partnerships. He urged countries without missions in Lusaka to consider establishing a diplomatic presence and welcomed the idea of Bangladeshi workers contributing to Zambia's mining sector.
President Hichilema also expressed interest in importing Bangladeshi PVC products to the Zambian market and commended the quality of Bangladesh's industrial output.
