United Nations reaffirm support to Zambia and pledge coordinated response to El Niño
23 May 2016, Lusaka- The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) held a bilateral meeting with the Vice President, H.E Inonge Wina, who was represented by Honourable Lazarous Chungu Bwalya, the Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office. The meeting came ahead of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) Annual meeting and focused on issues affecting the country and strengthening collaboration between the Republic of Zambia and the United Nations (UN).
The Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Mr. Bukar Tijani participated in the meeting with the Vice President at the aegis of the AfDB Annual Meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.
Speaking on behalf of the Vice President, Honourable Bwalya said Zambia was proud to be a member of the UN and thanked the different agencies for the support rendered to the country. He further stated that the participation of the UN in the AfDB annual meeting was significant as the UN brought compelling experiences from different countries, which will inform the proceedings of the meeting. Honourable Bwalya appealed to the UN agencies to be open in the meeting and share best practices that can be replicated not only in Zambia but other countries as well.
Honourable Bwalya highlighted some of the socio-economic issues affecting the country such as poor performing currency attributed to low global copper prices, adverse effects of El Niño due to climate change, gender issues such as early child marriages and electricity outages due to low water volumes at the Kariba Dam.
Honorable Bwalya said El Niño was a reality and not a political rhetoric, which required a coordinated response, and called on the UN to be ready to embrace responding to anticipated food shortages in Zambia and the region as a whole.
The Honourable Minister welcomed UN’s offer to assist the Government in developing the 7th National Development Plan. He reiterated that 3 of the key priorities for the 7th National Development Plan will focus on Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development aimed at poverty reduction and well-being of Zambians.
Short, medium and long-term plans essential to respond to climate change
The Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Mr. Bukar Tijani explained the important role the Rome Based Agencies (RBA’s) played in response to climate change particularly through scaling up Conservation Agriculture in Zambia and other countries as well as the regional El Niño response being coordinated by SADC. Mr. Tijani emphasized the importance of putting in place short, medium and long-term response plans to climate change.
He further noted that as the timeframe for attaining the targets of the SDGs, which is 2030, is five years longer than the timeframe agreed to by African Heads of State for attaining the targets of the Malabo Declaration on ending hunger in 2025, efforts should be made by all to develop strong synergies between the two.
In conclusion, The Minister reiterated the country's continued endeavors to affirm the UN protocols. Zambia has adopted a new constitution, and the Bill of Rights shall soon be amended through a referendum in August 2016.
The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) exists in 136 countries, covering all of the 180 countries where there are United Nations programmes. The UNCT encompasses all the entities of the UN system that carry out operational activities for development, emergency, recovery and transition in programme countries.
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