Американская компания Astrophysics подписала контракт с Замбией на поставку сканеров грузов

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Mich Coker’s Remarks Final Contract Signing Ceremony between Astrophysics Inc. and the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) American Center for Leadership Monday, August 24, 2026 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (As prepared for delivery) Good afternoon. Thank you for that kind introduction, Kully, and thank you all for being here. Let me begin by thanking our own outstanding team here at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka for all the preparation they put into hosting today’s event, and for the work they do every day to cultivate and strengthen the more-than-62-year partnership between the United States and Zambia. I also want to take a moment to recognize my friend, Commissioner General Dingani Banda, and the outstanding leadership team of the Zambia Revenue Authority. Thank you for your partnership and for the work that has brought us to today’s signing. And to members of the media with us today — thank you for helping share this important story with the Zambian people and audiences beyond Zambia. Before turning to today’s announcement, I want to reiterate the United States’ congratulations to His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election. We look forward to working with President Hichilema and his government over the next five years to deepen the already strong partnership between our two countries. Today’s signing is a tangible example of what that partnership can deliver. The United States and Zambia share a relationship grounded in mutual respect and increasingly focused on trade, security cooperation, and shared prosperity. Zambia’s borders are central to that agenda. Nowhere is that partnership more visible than at Zambia’s borders. Efficient and secure movement of goods is essential to Zambia’s economic growth, its integration with regional and global markets, and the safety and security of the Zambian people. That is why today’s signing matters. This final contract between Astrophysics and the Zambia Revenue Authority will bring advanced American X-ray truck scanning technology to the Livingstone border post — one of the busiest and most strategically important crossings in Southern Africa. This world-class cutting-edge technology will allow ZRA officials to inspect cargo more quickly, more accurately, and more safely. That means facilitating legitimate commerce and reducing unnecessary delays while making it more difficult to move contraband, illicit goods, or dangerous materials across Zambia’s borders. That is what modern border management should accomplish: streamlining legitimate trade while identifying threats more efficiently and more effectively. First and foremost, this project advances Zambia’s own priorities — strengthening domestic revenue collection, improving the ease of doing business, modernizing customs operations, and reinforcing Zambia’s position as a reliable hub for regional trade. This project also illustrates what American commercial engagement can offer. U.S. companies bring world-class technology and innovation, but they also deliver on quality, transparency, reliability, and long-term partnership. We want to see more partnerships like this one: American companies competing successfully, Zambian institutions acquiring high-quality solutions, and both countries benefiting from the result. I want to commend Astrophysics for competing for, and winning, this tender on its merits, and for the work ahead to deliver, install, and support this technology at the Livingstone border post. I also commend the Zambia Revenue Authority, under Commissioner General Banda’s leadership, both for running a transparent procurement process and for the ZRA’s continued modernization of Zambia’s customs and border operations. This is exactly the kind of government-to-government and business-to-government collaboration that delivers real results for both our countries, and also for those who live, work, and engage in cross-border trade throughout the wider region. At first glance, today’s ceremony is about truck scanners. But it represents something much larger. It is about making trade faster and safer. It is about strengthening Zambia’s ability to collect the revenue needed to finance its own development. And it is about demonstrating that the U.S.-Zambia partnership can produce practical, measurable results for businesses, governments, and citizens across this region. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with our Zambian partners today, and we look forward to building on it. Congratulations again to Astrophysics and the Zambia Revenue Authority. Thank you.