Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - The African Union Executive Council has re-elected Zambia's Ambassador Albert Muchanga as Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Zambian mission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Muchanga polled 44 votes from 53 member states that voted at the on-going 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
Ambassador Muchanga is currently African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry. The post will now combine the Economic Affairs, which was a separate docket.
He previously served as Zambia's Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.
He served as Zambia's Ambassador to Brazil and also Permanent Secretary, and as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The statement said Ambassador Muchanga has provided strategic leadership in facilitating negotiation, conclusion and ratification of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force on 30th May 2019 and whose operation phase was launched on 7 July, 2019.
In addition, Muchanga has provided similar leadership on matters of trade, industrialisation, mining and customs cooperation.
-0- PANA MM/MA 7Feb2021
