A Superb Comeback
By Dickson Jere
On Tuesday, the President made a superb appointment, which was overshadowed by those of State Counsel. And the media did not give it much attention…
He appointed and swore-in veteran and experienced career diplomat to the position of Special Envoy to the President at State House. The candidate for the job is undoubtedly suitable given the current political and diplomatic situation in the world and Zambia’s profile.
Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe started his diplomatic journey in 1981 when he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a graduate from University of Zambia. He worked under President Kenneth Kaunda as desk officer during those trying moments of our diplomacy.
However, it was during the reign of President Frederick Chiluba that Ambassador Kapambwe shot to prominence during the peace talks in the then Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which Zambia anchored and culminated into the Lusaka Peace Accord.
He was later posted to Addis Ababa by President Levy Mwanawasa, SC where he served as Ambassador from 2003 to 2007. He was a Permanent Representative to the African Union and was also accredited to Sudan and Yemen.
Under President Rupiah Banda, Kapambwe was our Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York where he served from 2007 until 2012 when he was recalled by President Michael Sata. However, as he was heading back home, he was poached by the AU Chairperson Nkosazana Zuma as Economic Affairs Advisor in Addis Ababa. He served diligently until 2017 when President Edgar Lungu reappointed him as Ambassador to UN in New York, once again!
In 2020, he was swapped and made Ambassador to the United States, making him one of the few Zambians to have served as both US Ambassador and UN Permanent Representative. Others include former President Rupiah Banda and Dr Ngosa Simbyakula. He was recalled in 2023 after his tour of duty ended but his services were widely sought by number of international organizations as he setup his consultancy in Lusaka.
And on 13th March, 2024, his services were, once again, sought by Zambia’s 7th President Hakainde Hichilema who appointed him as his Special Envoy. Ambassador Kapambwe is a diplomat par excellence! I am sure his services and advice will come in handy given that our diplomacy is taking international centerstage. An experience hand is needed in such situations We, as a country, are being talked about in SADC and our position in the Israeli and Palestinian war has also become the point of moot discussions.
You do not easily find such fine career diplomats in our politically polluted foreign service.
Congratulations are in order!
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