An Agent For Progress And Gender Equality

Zambia’s first female vice president, Hon. Inonge Mutukwa Wina, sits down to discuss diplomacy, nutrition and female empowerment.

• 2018 took you on similar missions earning you an ambassadorial role on the development of nutrition within the country and continent. How did this come about and how can we make nutrition attractive to families and investors alike in Zambia?

The quality of human capital available for Zambia’s development starts with the healthy foods that form one of the most important contributors to a healthy nation. It is, therefore, important that we all pay special attention to food and nutrition at all levels in society. Without efforts from all fronts simply means that, every minute we fail to address hunger, we are condemning someone, or more people, especially children and adolescent mothers, to intergenerational poverty under our watch.

With food requirements ever growing in most countries, including Zambia, investors should, therefore, see opportunities in the agriculture sector value chain with the view of making profits while taking a responsibility to ending hunger worldwide. In this regard, Zambia is among the most ideal places for food production in the world, hence the Zambia Development Agency is ready to guide all investors to take advantage of the opportunities that Zambia offers.

• You recently visited Turkey in an effort to build better relations between the two nations. What has been agreed upon during those visits and how will such visits benefit Zambia?

Zambia has for a long time succeeded in its diplomatic foreign policy until the Patriotic Front party government decided to promote economic diplomacy at bilateral and multilateral levels. Therefore, enhancing relations between Zambia and the Republic of Turkey has tremendous benefits. On the economic front, the commencement of flights by Turkish Airlines in December 2018, opens opportunities for increased trade in goods and services. Zambia’s tourism sector stands to benefit from inflows of tourists while the airline will provide opportunities for Zambian exporters to tap into the wider markets and global logistics value chains.

• You’re one of two female vice presidents in all of Africa, a commendable feat. What advice do you have for young girls who want to follow in your footsteps?

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American philosopher, once said “what lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” The elements within us are strong enough to make our lives more clear and positive towards our goals. Therefore, every girl, like their male counterparts, has the capability to achieve greatness within her – all she has to do is believe in her vision and abilities.

For Zambia to achieve meaningful progress and gender equality in all areas of decision-making positions, it is imperative to motivate young people, especially girls. This is possible by exposing young people to positive role models and mentors who they can look up to for them to make responsible choices as they enter adulthood. The corporate world in Zambia needs to do more because diversity is required at such levels of decision making.

• As a citizen and a leader, what does ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ really mean to you and investors out there?

Think of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ as a motto or slogan that has made Zambia a melting pot of unity, peace and prosperity in diversity. To business people and investors alike, certainty especially of peace, tranquillity and unity in diversity are combinations that make Zambia stand out in the eyes of the commercial world. Therefore, combining ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ with the abundant natural resources such as water, land and minerals, makes the brand Zambia speak for itself and serve as a guarantee to each local and foreign investor that Zambia is ready and open for business.