Haimbe Signs Zambia Into Diplomatic Ties With Belize And The Sovereign Order Of Malta At The UN

NEW YORK — Zambia widened its diplomatic map this week, formalising relations with both the Central American nation of Belize and the centuries-old Sovereign Order of Malta on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mulambo Haimbe signed a Joint Communique with Belize's Ambassador Oscar Arnold, opening a framework for cooperation in climate change adaptation, environmental conservation, agriculture, tourism, trade, investment and people-to-people exchange. Government says the agreement advances President Hakainde Hichilema's Grow Zambia Agenda, the economic blueprint he launched at his September inauguration. Hours later, Haimbe put his signature to a second communique, this time with Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo of the Sovereign Order of Malta, a Catholic lay religious order that traces its roots to 11th century Jerusalem and today runs medical and humanitarian missions in more than 100 countries. The partnership will centre on humanitarian affairs, healthcare delivery, emergency response and support for vulnerable populations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Both signings were part of a broader diplomatic push. Earlier in the week, Haimbe, who is representing President Hichilema at the Assembly, signed similar communiques establishing relations with Uruguay and Vanuatu. He told delegates in New York that Zambia's diplomacy "must help to grow Zambia," framing the UNGA81 trip as an effort to convert foreign relations into markets, investment and partnerships rather than protocol for its own sake. Health Minister Roma Chilengi and Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation Etambuyu Gundersen are part of the delegation. The harder question is what any of this delivers for the household in Kabwata or Kasama. A joint communique is a starting point, not a contract. Belize is a country of roughly 400,000 people wi