1. The Technical Consultation was officially opened Mr Timothy Hanseluka, Council Secretary of Siavonga. He welcomed the delegates from Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and also Professor Jeppe Kolding from the University of Bergen in Norway. The Council Secretary noted that this Consultation was very important for the two countries sharing the Lake. He emphasized the fact that the fish moves across the border and the fishermen are mobile hence it was necessary for the two countries to discuss common management problems for the benefit of the riparian populations. The list of participants is given in Appendix B.
2. The Council Secretary thanked FAO Subregional Office for Southern and East Africa for assisting Zambia and Zimbabwe in organizing the meeting. He recognized the presence of Alhaji Jallow from the FAO Regional Office for Africa, Accra, Ghana at the meeting. He also recognized the participation of Professor Jeppe Kolding from the University of Bergen who has worked on the Lake during the last decade. He noted that the presence of the fishers' Representative in Siavonga is in recognition of the importance of stakeholders (fishers) in the management of the fisheries of Lake Kariba. The Siavonga Council Secretary wished the delegates success in their deliberations.
3. Mr Aubrey Harris on behalf of Ms Victoria Sekitoleko, the FAO Subregional Representative for Southern and East Africa, reciprocated thanks to the Council Secretary for accepting to officially open the meeting. It was pointed out that FAO attaches importance to the Lake Kariba, which is a source of food security for the people of the riparian countries of the Lake. Additionally Alhaji Jallow, Senior Fisheries Officer in Accra, Ghana informed the delegates that this Consultation was a result of the recommendation at the last FAO Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA) meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, which requested FAO to assist the two countries in the management of Lake Kariba.
