Construction of Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center, an ultra-modern conference center in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, for hosting this year's African Union (AU) summit, is 85 percent complete, a government official said Tuesday.

The facility's Chinese contractor, China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Corporation Group, has been working to hand over the project to the government in March before the scheduled handover date in April 2022, state broadcaster Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation quoted Tadalisika Zulu, the clerk of Works at the Department of Public Infrastructure, as saying.

According to her, most of the construction works have been completed and only fittings were currently being done.

The facility whose main conference room has a holding capacity of about 4,000 people started construction in 2020.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Ethiopia last week that the southern African nation was ready to host the mid-year coordinating summit in July this year.