The United Nations (UN) Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon will this week visit Zambia for his first official visit to the southern African nation, according to a statement released by UN office in Zambia on Monday.

The UN chief is expected to be in the country on Friday, Feb. 24 and leave on Feb. 26.

During his visit, he is expected to hold talks with Zambian President Michael Sata, address a special session of the National Assembly and hold an interactive dialogue with its leadership and representatives from selected parliamentary bodies.

According to the statement, he will later visit a UN-supported initiative that uses life skills and sports to reach and inspire vulnerable children.

The UN chief will later take part in a tourism development event. Zambia has, together with Zimbabwe, been chosen to co-host the 2013 UN World Tourism General Assembly.

Accompanied by Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Secretary-General will also visit the Olympic Youth Development Centre, a pilot project of the IOC "Sports for Hope Program".

UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia Kanni Wignaraja said in the statement that Zambia was taking meaningful steps towards improving the lives of its people, including maintaining high economic growth, holding peaceful elections and achieving some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"This visit is an opportunity for Zambia to take pride in these achievements and showcase them at a global level. These high level dialogues will also focus on the country's efforts at accelerating efforts at poverty reduction, addressing gender inequalities and Zambia's response to climate change and its preparations for Rio+ 20," she said.

This would be the first state visit of a UN Secretary-General to the country and the UN representative in Zambia said he is looking forward to his visit to Zambia and his trip to Africa since he began his second term.

The statement further said the UN is committed to supporting Zambia and its people in their efforts to realize their goals of national development. Last year, the UN family in Zambia disbursed over 110 million U.S. dollars in grant assistance.