Zambia High Commission London

Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) will host Africa’s premier aviation connectivity conference as the country launches an ambitious Air Access Initiative and targets three million international visitors.

AviaDev Africa, the continent’s only dedicated air service development conference, today confirmed that Zambia will host AviaDev Africa 2027, with ZACL serving as the official host partner. The announcement marks a landmark moment for Zambia’s aviation sector, coinciding with the launch of a bold new Air Access Initiative - Airlift Zambia, designed to transform the country into a leading regional connectivity

To support this ambition, Zambia has committed K1.5 billion to the tourism sector in 2026, funding infrastructure development, wildlife conservation, destination marketing and the opening of remote tourism sites. Tourism already accounts for seven percent of national GDP, with the sector employing 473,000 people.

Urvesh Desai, Managing Director, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) commented, “Zambia is at a crucial moment in its aviation story. We have the infrastructure, the ambition and the government support, what we need now is the world’s airlines to see for themselves why Zambia deserves a place on their network maps.

Jon Howell, CEO and Founder, AviaDev Africa said, “Zambia is exactly the kind of destination AviaDev Africa exists to serve and to celebrate. The growth in visitor numbers has been extraordinary, and yet the country is still dramatically under-connected by air, relative to its potential.

This morning, Her Excellency the High Commissioner, Ms Macenje Mazoka, received a briefing from Basketdrop, a UK-based technology company innovating in the logistics sector.

Mr Slydon Lungu, the innovator behind the company’s flagship product, Droppoint, provided a demonstration of its functionality and outlined how it could help clients reduce the high costs associated with last-mile logistics. The Droppoint is designed to address the theft of online purchases that fail initial delivery attempts, as well as damage to parcels left unattended at doorsteps.

The company is seeking to secure up to £2 million in funding to support the mass production of Droppoint units. It is currently piloting the product with the National Health Service (NHS), a partnership that could see production scale to approximately 100,000 units per year in the United Kingdom over the next five to ten years.

Mr Lungu was accompanied by a delegation of prospective Chinese investors.

Her Excellency encouraged Mr Lungu and the delegation to take advantage of Zambia’s manufacturing and investment incentives, noting that investing in Zambia provides access to a market of over 1.3 billion people across the African continent.

She further briefed the delegation on the forthcoming Zambia International Investment Conference (IZIC), scheduled to take place in Lusaka in December 2026.

The conference will bring together global investors, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore opportunities across key sectors, including mining, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing, while showcasing Zambia’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for investment and sustainable economic growth.

The Zambia High Commission in London took part in an inaugural and highly productive roundtable discussion on African educational partnerships with SOAS, University of London.

The roundtable was convened by H.E. Ms. Macenje Mazoka, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Chair of the AU Heads of Mission Economic Committee, in collaboration with SOAS Vice‑Chancellor Professor Adam Habib.

The Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Ambassador Christian Katsande of Zimbabwe, joined ambassadors, high commissioners, and Charge d'Affaires from more than 15 African countries, together with senior leadership from SOAS, in a constructive engagement to strengthen collaboration in education and skills development as enablers of Africa’s industrialisation agenda.

Participants also exchanged views on broader matters of mutual interest, including debt burden and opportunities for engagement in the context of the United Kingdom’s forthcoming G20 Presidency.

The meeting underscored the importance of building robust partnerships between African missions and leading academic institutions to advance human capital development, research collaboration, and shared economic priorities.

Zambia reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging such partnerships to enhance skills development, promote innovation, and support sustainable economic transformation in line with its national development objectives.

The High Commissioner additionally highlighted the central role of education in national development.

Professor Habib described SOAS as an intellectual bridge between the West and the Global South, noting with regret that relatively few students from Africa attend the institution because many cannot afford the fees.

The Zambian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Macenje Mazoka, this morning joined fellow High Commissioners and members of the diplomatic corps in attending the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London, marking the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III.

This longstanding ceremonial occasion, steeped in British history and tradition, serves not only as a celebration of the Sovereign but also as an important moment of diplomatic engagement.

The presence of Commonwealth representatives, including Zambia, underscores the enduring ties of friendship, shared values, and mutual respect that bind member states.

It also provided an opportunity to reaffirm Zambia’s commitment to strengthening its bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom, while celebrating the unity and diversity of the Commonwealth family.

2026 Commonwealth Games Team Zambia Unveiled

By Kalumiana Kalumiana

Zambia has entered in 5 events at the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.

Judo, boxing, swimming, bowling and athletics will constitute the disciples Team Zambia will fight for honours in Scotland this summer.

In a statement, National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association of Zambia (NOC/CGA Zambia) president, Alfred Foloko said the 22-member team will comprise 11 men and 11 women.

The headline act will be the athletics team, where Muzala Samukonga will defend his men’s 400 meters title that he won in Birmingham in 2022.

Samukonga added bronze to his medals list at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

But there is no place for female judo prospect Sasha Kapumpa, who had a decorated continental debut at the inaugural 2025 All African School Games in Algeria in August and 2025 All African Youth Games in Angola in December, where she won respective bronze medals in the 70 kg class.

Sasha’s next competition is coming up next week in Johannesburg, South Africa, in two events, starting with the 2026 Junior Africa Cup on June 26 and the 2026 Cadet Africa Cup on June 27, where she made her international debut last year and won a gold medal.

Meanwhile, Team Zambia will next month set up a pre-2026 Commonwealth Games base in Northern Ireland.

TEAM ZAMBIA

=Athletics

* Muzala Samukonga

* Niddy Mingilishi

* Emeldah Kapunjila

* Patrick Nyambe

* Kennedy Luchembe

* Edna Ng’andula

=Judo

* Rita Kabinda

* Sylvia Nawila

* Simon Zulu

* John Kapungwe

* Andrew K. Sande

=Swimming

* Mia Ann Phiri

* Jade Anita Phiri

* Sumbwanyambe Damien Shamambo

* Zach Raymond Moyo

=Boxing

* Emmanuel Katema

* Catherine Mwape

* Mwengo Mwale

* Albert Ngulube

=Bowling

* Foster Banda

* Mildred Mkandawire

* Getrude Siame

(Text and image courtesy of Kafue Times)

High Commissioner of the Republic of Zambia Macenje Mazoka accompanied by Counsellor Economic Mr Kasalika Mulenga (l main picture) attended a Summer Reception at Scotland House that brought together senior leaders from business, government, diplomacy and industry to reflect on Scotland’s refreshed policy agenda following the recent Scottish Parliament election. the reception.

The host, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government, Joe Griffin, outlined how these priorities will guide Scotland’s cooperation with UK and international partners.

Held during London Tech Week, the reception also showcased Scotland’s growing leadership in AI and emerging technologies, highlighting how innovation is reshaping economies, public services and global opportunity with an open invitation to anyone interested in Scotland’s future.

ZAMBIA ANNOUNCES EARLY RESULTS FROM THE CASH TENDER OFFER FOR THE OUTSTANDING US$1.36 BILLION BOND BUY BACK

On Tuesday, 9th June, DEBRETT’S, a historic British authority on etiquette, protocol, heraldry, and the aristocracy, conducted a two-hour protocol training for Zambian diplomats at the Chancery in London.

The training session was complimentary to the 2026 Diplomat of the Year for Africa award to Her Excellency High Commissioner Macenje Mazoka by The Diplomat Magazine last month.

Mr Hugo Strachwitz, a Director at Debrett’s, specialising in ceremony, protocol, precedence and etiquette, delivered the training on the British protocol ecosystem that has developed over a 1000 years, making Britain the gold standard in terms of diplomatic practice, anchored on the Vienna Convention.

H.E. MAZOKA URGES DEEPER PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT INCLUSIVE GROWTH, INVESTMENT

Her Excellency Ms. Macenje Mazoka, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, last evening attended the Westminster Africa Business Association (WABA) Summer Reception, graciously hosted at the Embassy of Ethiopia in London.

The reception brought together members of the diplomatic corps, investors, and business leaders committed to strengthening UK–Africa partnerships. WABA continues to play a vital role in fostering dialogue, collaboration, and shared insight in support of sustainable economic engagement between the United Kingdom and Africa.

In her engagements, Her Excellency highlighted Zambia’s economic diplomacy agenda and reaffirmed that Zambia is open for business.

She underscored opportunities across key sectors, including agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing, and tourism, among others, and encouraged deeper partnerships that support inclusive growth and investment.

The event featured remarks by Mr. Ben Ainsley, His Majesty’s Deputy Trade Commissioner for Africa, who outlined the UK’s approach to trade and investment with the continent.

The evening provided a valuable platform for strengthening networks and advancing mutually beneficial partnerships.