President Hakainde Hichilema has officially launched the Brand Zambia Initiative, a national programme aimed at strengthening the country’s identity, promoting economic growth, and attracting investment while fostering unity and patriotism among citizens.

The initiative is designed to position Zambia more prominently on the global stage by highlighting its rich heritage, natural resources, and development potential.

He emphasised that building and strengthening Zambia’s national brand is a shared responsibility. Tourism operators, manufacturers, government institutions, the private sector and individual citizens must work in coordination to align their efforts and strategies in support of the Brand Zambia Initiative.

During the event, the President also unveiled the campaign’s official logo, which reflects Zambia’s rich heritage and unique identity, Lusaka Times reports.

He further urged the Brand Zambia Initiative Technical Committee to collaborate closely with BuyZed Campaign Founder Evans Ngoma to strengthen efforts to promote and market Zambia globally.

Hichilema said that Zambia is richly endowed with natural resources, which can be strategically leveraged to advance the country’s goals and vision, and to successfully realise the objectives of the branding initiative.

The President has called on all Zambians to take an active role in shaping the nation’s future, stressing the importance of positioning Zambia as a leading tourist destination by effectively harnessing its natural resources.

He also highlighted the need to uphold core national values, including peace, unity, hard work and patriotism.

Yet, the Head of State expressed concern over negative portrayals of Zambia by some individuals, urging citizens to use all available platforms to promote positive stories and highlight the country’s achievements and potential.

Earlier, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative James Wakiaga said the initiative will contribute to reshaping Zambia’s image both at home and abroad.

Dr. Wakiaga noted that the programme is expected to foster national unity and reaffirmed the UNDP’s commitment to providing financial support to the government in advancing the initiative.

Meanwhile, Brand Zambia Initiative Ambassador Sophie Masipa outlined the process and criteria used in developing the slogan “Zambia Moves You,” which will guide the identification of strategies aligned with the country’s unique offerings.