Zambia: Russian Ambassador to Zambia Azim Yarakhmedov and FAZ president Andrew Kamanga conferred this morning on a wide range of football matters.
During the meeting held at Football House, also attended by FAZ general secretary Reuben Kamanga, the Russian envoy pledged to spearhead a Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Football Union and FAZ, which will culminate into a friendly match between Zambia and Russia.
“Zambia attained its independence on October 24, 1964, and six days later, a Russian delegation was in Zambia to establish diplomatic ties. On October 30, 2024, we will be celebrating 60 years of friendship, which will make it a special occasion,” says Ambassador Yarakhmedov.
“We are proposing an international friendly match between Zambia and Russia but also a wider collaboration between the two countries.”
The Russian envoy offered scholarships for two Zambia students wishing to pursue physical education and administration.
“Russia does offer a lot of scholarships for many Zambian students, which are fully sponsored, and we are going to give you two slots that can be done immediately. You can make your recommendations then we will pick up the process,” he says.
Yarakhmedov congratulated the Chipolopolo for having qualified for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cote Ivoire.
“We followed the Zambia National Team participation at the Africa Cup of Nations, and we are proud of them. We can only encourage them to continue working hard,” he says.
The FAZ president welcomed the Russian envoy and called for a speedy implementation of the MoU.
“On our part, beyond the friendly match, we are looking for broader collaboration between the Russian government and ourselves. We will put through a proposal for collaboration on training, infrastructure, and exchange programs,” Kamanga says.
“We will wait for the delegation from Moscow to come here so that we can finalize these proposals. The friendly game would be a perfect occasion to mark the 60 years relations between Zambia and Russia,” he says.
“We will provide the two candidates for the scholarship and will be hoping to widen the pool of beneficiaries going forward.”