PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma yesterday urged closer cooperation between South Africa and Zambia in fighting poverty, disease and unemployment.

“The difficult years of fighting colonialism and apartheid together must now translate into a successful joint quest for economic freedom and social development,” he said in the Zambian capital Lusaka. “Our shared history must encourage us to work together to fight poverty, disease, and ensure that our people have decent jobs and a better quality of life.

“Our two business sectors must work as closely as the two governments will now work together, to ensure that we increase economic co-operation and trade.”

Zuma is on a three-day State visit to Zambia, accompanied by several Cabinet ministers and a business delegation representing 60 companies in the energy and petroleum, ICT, infrastructure, financial services, healthcare, mining and agro-processing sectors.

He said South Africa and Zambia had already registered important progress in strengthening bilateral economic co-operation.

SA-Zambian trade had substantially increased since 1994 and Zambia was now South Africa’s number one trading partner on the continent.

Major SA exports to Zambia included mineral oils and fuels, vehicles and components, chemicals, steel and capital equipment. “We should also continue to work together to strengthen people-to-people contact through cultural, scientific and educational exchange programmes, as well as encouraging two-way tourism.”

Zuma also spoke of SA’s efforts to “find a lasting solution” in Zimbabwe. — Sapa