Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today said Zambia is number one in the world in another statistic: More volunteers choose to extend their time in Zambia than anywhere else in the world.
At the meeting with staff and families of Embassy Lusaka, Ms. Clinton was thrilled to announce new funding for the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, which will be based in Lusaka.
“I was so excited to turn over to the Zambian Government the remarkable pediatric center. And I know that there are 344,000 Zambians on antiretroviral drugs, and that’s because of PEPFAR and CDC and HHS and USAID and everybody who has pulled together.”-Ms. Clinton
According to Ms. Clinton, when PEPFAR held its annual global meeting in Johannesburg, they chose Zambia’s team for the Stepping Up for Women and Girls Award. She said that’s the first ever team award of that kind.
Ms. Clinton stated that Dr. Alwyn Mwinga received the Lifetime Achievement Award, the first time an African has won PEPFAR’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
She thanked the staff of the U.S. Embassy in helping to train political parties, monitor elections; standing up for democracy, for free, fair, transparent elections that will be credible as the Zambian government prepares for the season of election.
Ms. Clinton thanked Zambia for the warmth of the Zambian people. Ms. Clinton said she was warmly welcomed in her stay in Lusaka.
“I can see why it is so attractive to serve and work here in Zambia.”-Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton noted that the working environment in the new Embassy compound is extraordinary. She said one employee called it a shining city on a hill.
Ms. Clinton stated that there is a lot of wonderful work ahead of them. She said Zambia is a country that is just on the cusp of determining whether it’s going to have the kind of future that is going to fulfill the aspirations of the Zambian people.