4th India-Zambia Foreign Office Consultations held in Lusaka: MEA

India and Zambia held 4th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Lusaka, and held discussions about various sectors of cooperation, including defence and health, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The FOC took place on Thursday, where the Indian side was led by Puneet R. Kundal, Additional Secretary (East and Southern Africa), and the Zambian side was spearheaded by Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“During the FOC, both delegations reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries including a review of institutional mechanisms, scholarships, training and capacity building, cooperation in higher education, and trade and commercial relations,” the MEA said in an official press release.

The discussions were also held on cooperation in sectors such as defence, health, agriculture, mines and mineral resources, and small and medium enterprises.

The FOC also included discussions on digital platforms, consular issues, cultural exchanges etc, according to MEA.

“Both sides expressed satisfaction over the existing bilateral ties and noted the need to strengthen them further. Discussions were also held on regional and international issues of mutual interest including cooperation in multilateral forums such as the UN,” the release added.

The discussions provided an opportunity for both sides to assess the existing state of bilateral relations and explore ways to further strengthen these.

Both India and Zambia agreed to hold the next FOC in New Delhi at a mutually convenient date.