Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Lazarous Kapambwe of Zambia

Before taking up his post in New York in June, Ambassador Kapambwe was Zambia's ambassador to Ethiopia, and was extensively involved with the SADC mission's discussions towards an AU government, which have been taking place across the continent, with the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, being a focal point.

Zambias Ambassador and Permanent Reprersentative to the United Nations (UN), Lazarous Kapambwe said this when addressing a 62nd Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the topic Necessity of Ending The Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba.

Ambassador Kapambwe said Zambia maintained that the Helms Burton legislation violates the sovereignty of Cuba and is a breach of international law and not in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter, among them, the sovereign equality of States, non interference in their internal affairs and freedom of international trade and navigation.

Zambia continues to face challenges of a residual caseload of Angolan refugees, Zambia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Lazarous Kapambwe has observed.

Kapambwe said this when he addressed the Third Committee of the 63rd Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Report of the UNHCR; question and answer session on returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian.

Kapambwe has disclosed that Zambia welcomes the UNHCR’s Global Needs Assessment Initiative to which Zambia will be piloted along side with other eight countries.

Kapambwe has been serving in Ethiopia for the last four years.

establishing the Southern African Customs Union, and abolishing the need for visas amongst countries such as South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique.

cooperation of the two countries in the fields of trade and industry.

Kapambwe was Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, beginning in May 2003.

Kapambwe has represented Zambia in major multilateral and regional meetings of the United Nations, Organization of African Unity, African Union, Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Great Lakes region and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD.

Meanwhile, Zambia's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Lazarous Kapambwe said Africa must continue to lobby other continents and regions until the resolutions of the recent AU summit are presented to the United Nations.