Vice-President arrives in Zambia on three-day visit
By ANITuesday, January 5, 2010
LUSAKA - Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari arrived here on a three-day visit a little after 4 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
Zambia’s Vice-President George Kunda and his wife Ireen Kunda, besides India’s High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Kumar and his wife Jasvinder Kumar received Vice-President Ansari at Lusaka International Airport.
Zambian and Indian officials were also present on the occasion. The visiting delegation was greeted by Zambian folk dancers.
During their stay in Lusaka, the Vice-President, his wife, Ms. Salma Ansari, and accompanying entourage will be staying at the Hotel Taj Pamodzi.
The media accompanying the dignitary is being put up in the same hotel.
On the first day of the visit, the Zambian Vice-President will host a state banquet for Vice-President Ansari at the Hotel Intercontinental.
On Wednesday morning, the vice-president will have a restricted meeting with his Zambian counterpart in the Vice-President’s office.
Thereafter, the two leaders will proceed to a boardroom to witness a signing of bilateral agreements between ministers and officials of the two countries.
Shortly before noon, Vice-President Ansari will call on the President of Zambia, Rupiah Bwezani Banda, at the State House. After lunch in his hotel, the vice-president will leave on a special flight to see the Livingstone Park and the Victoria Falls. He will spend a little over three hours at this spot before returning to Lusaka in the evening.
On Thursday, Vice-President Ansari will call on the First President of Zambia and a close friend of India, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, at the Kabulonga Office. The meeting is expected to last for 30-minutes. Thereafter, he will return to his hotel and meet with Zambian Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande and Commerce and Trade Minister Felix C. Mutati.
In the afternoon, he will attend a reception for the Indian community hosted High Commissioner Kumar and his wife.
During the stay, Ms. Ansari will visit the Mother Teresa Home in Lusaka on Wednesday. On Thursday, she will interact with members of the Lusaka-India Ladies Association (LILA) at the Steaks and Grill Restaurant.
The Indian delegation will depart for Malawi capital Lilongwe onThursday afternoon. By Ashok Dixit (ANI)
