The EU said Wednesday that Africa is one of its most important partners, 25 years after establishing ties with the continent.
Rita Laranjinha, the European External Action Service's managing director for Africa, said amid an evolving global environment, the bloc is working on making development cooperation with the continent more efficient to fit purpose.
"Our approach has evolved away from the traditional development aid model towards mutually beneficial partnerships that support local economies and value chains, skills development, job creation and green and inclusive growth," she said at the official opening of the annual EU-Zambia Partnership Dialogue in the capital Lusaka.
"The EU is a committed and reliable partner and we look forward to hosting in Brussels the upcoming EU-AU (African Union) ministerial meeting on May 21, preparing for a heads of state summit later this year."
"As a partner, we have supported Zambia's development and accompanied governance reforms," she said, adding that she is looking forward to exchanging views with the country on regional developments, as Zambia plays a key role as part of the Troika of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on politics, defense, and security.
Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said that under the 11th and 12th European Development Fund, the country has received hundreds of millions of euros in grant financing focused on priority areas such as governance, energy, agriculture, health, and education.
"With the ongoing changes in the geopolitical landscape that have led to some of our traditional partners scaling down their financial assistance to Zambia, it is our adherent hope that this dialogue will bring out tangible outcomes that would redefine our longstanding partnerships to an advanced level for our mutual benefit," Haimbe said.
