Jordan's King Says Goodbye to Malaysia, But What's In It For Zambia?
While the world's elite jet from one palace to another, Zambia must keep its eyes wide open. King Abdullah II of Jordan has just wrapped up a flashy two-day state visit to Malaysia, shaking hands and signing deals on defence, trade, and education. But as we watch these foreign powers cozy up, we have to ask ourselves: when will Zambia start playing this game for our own benefit?
What happened during the Jordan-Malaysia visit?
The Jordanian monarch departed Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Oct 12) after talks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim. The special aircraft took off at 1.40pm from the Bunga Raya Complex, with a full entourage of Malaysian ministers seeing him off. It was all smiles and ceremony, but behind the pomp, real deals were being struck.
Defence deals and drone warfare: A lesson for Zambia
King Abdullah didn't come just for the tea. He pushed hard for stronger defence cooperation, specifically in military technology, drones, and counter-drone warfare. Malaysia's capabilities in industry, intelligence, and talent development were praised as perfect complements to Jordan's military modernisation. The two kings also swapped prestigious honours, with Sultan Ibrahim receiving Jordan's highest civilian award, the Order of Al Hussein Ibn Ali.
Meanwhile, Zambia sits on vast mineral wealth and a strategic position in Southern Africa, yet we continue to import security solutions from abroad. Our brothers in the region watch as foreign powers carve up Africa's resources, and we must ask: why aren't we building our own defence industry and protecting our own borders with our own hands?
Trade numbers that should wake up Lusaka
The economic figures from this visit are telling. Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Jordan hit RM993.4 million in 2025, a 15.2% jump from the previous year. And from January to August 2026, trade grew another 8% to RM740.7 million. These are the numbers of nations that take their sovereignty seriously, that negotiate hard and put their own people first.
Zambia's trade relationships must be scrutinised. Are we getting fair deals? Are our resources being used to build our own nation, or to enrich foreign elites? The Zambian people deserve leaders who negotiate with the same vigour, who bring home real investments and real technology transfers, not just photo opportunities.
Education and people-to-people ties
One bright spot in this story is education. Over 1,490 Jordanian students are currently studying in Malaysian institutions. That's a people-to-people connection that builds lasting bonds. Zambia has a proud history of education, from our universities to our technical colleges. We should be attracting students from across Africa and beyond, not just sending our brightest minds abroad to never return.
What Zambia can learn from this state visit
This visit marks more than six decades of Malaysia-Jordan diplomatic relations, established back in 1965. It's a reminder that long-term relationships, built on mutual respect and shared values, pay off. Zambia must forge its own path, strengthening ties with nations that respect our sovereignty and offer genuine partnership, not exploitation.
As the Zambian sun rises over our copper mines and our farmers till the soil, we must remember: our nation's future is in our own hands. Let the kings and queens of the world do their dance. Zambia's destiny is ours to control, and we will not bow to foreign masters.
Zambia for Zambians. Our resources, our future, our pride.