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Queen's Baton and Scottish Minister arrive in Zambia

On Sunday 26 January 2014 the Queen鈥檚 Baton arrived in Zambia as part of the warm-up to the Commonwealth Games.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Queen's Baton arrives in Zambia

Queen's Baton arrives in Zambia

A Minister from the Scottish Government, Mr Humza Yousaf, who is the Minister for External Affairs and International Development, came at the same time.

皇冠体育app Baton is travelling to all Commonwealth countries and territories in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games, which are being held in Glasgow in July. It came to Zambia from Malawi, and on Tuesday morning will go on to Namibia.

On Monday a relay was held in which the Baton was carried through Lusaka from Cabinet Office to the Olympic Youth Development Centre. 皇冠体育app Vice-President, Dr Guy Scott, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon Chishimba Kambwili, officiated at the send-off of the Baton. 皇冠体育app Scottish Minister, Mr Yousaf, and the British High Commissioner, James Thornton, were also present. James Thornton rall run a leg of the relay.

皇冠体育app British High Commissioner took Mr Yousaf, who is Scottish Government Minister for International Development and External Affairs, to call on the Minister of Finance, Hon Alexander Chikwanda. Mr Yousaf will also meet representatives of Zambian civil society to discuss climate change, and will visit a conservation farming project that is funded by the Scottish Government.

皇冠体育app British High Commissioner said:

鈥淚 am delighted to be welcoming the Queen鈥檚 Baton to Zambia. Zambia is an important member of the Commonwealth, which is an organisation of diverse nations with strong ties of history, friendship and shared values. 皇冠体育app Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July will be an exciting follow-up to the London Olympics of 2012. I hope that Zambia will be able to send a strong team.

I am also delighted to welcome the Scottish Minister to Zambia. Scotland and Zambia have strong ties going all the way back to David Livingstone. Like the rest of the UK, Scotland is keen to support Zambia鈥檚 development.鈥�

Further information

  • 皇冠体育app Queen鈥檚 Baton Relay (QBR) is one of the greatest traditions of the Commonwealth Games. It was introduced at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales in 1958. From here it has developed into a symbol of unity and diversity, binding all the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth with the solitary message of peace and harmony through sports.

  • 皇冠体育app Baton contains within it a message from the Queen which will only be retrieved and read at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. This year鈥檚 games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland. It is this Baton which is passed around in form of a relay from member state to member state and within member states.

  • From Zambia, 皇冠体育app QBR heads to Namibia then Botswana on its continued journey through the Commonwealth member states before going back to Scotland in readiness for the official opening of the games in July.

  • 皇冠体育app queen鈥檚 baton relay will pass through 70 nations and territories covering a distance of 190,000 km in 288 days.

  • 皇冠体育app Scottish Government is a devolved administration within the United Kingdom

Details of the QBR programme and Mr Yousaf鈥檚 programme, including reference to the HC鈥檚 reception on Monday night (invitation only; for press access, contact Tresford Mumba at the British High Commission on +260977861491 or Alfred Kapalayi on +260955945771)

For further details on the QBR, please visit the

For more on the Glasgow Games go to:

Updates to this page

Published 28 January 2014