Zambia, the European Union and the World Bank, three among some of the country’s cooperating partners, conferred in Lusaka over the need to harness growth sector developments they support, with all parties resolving to co-exist with the ‘vulnerable’ Southern African state.
The European Union-under its ambitious €500 million-worth 2021-27 Multi Annual Indicative Plan (MIP), reaffirmed its resolve to assist Zambia through the private sector in priority sectors of the green and digital transformation – circular economy, clean energy, water, skills, forests, innovation, and access to finance for SMEs.
The EU-Zambia programme it is envisaged will create a collaboration intended to help the country ensure fair competition and help it to comply with global climate and biodiversity targets.
The EU was crucial in supporting Zambia’s Green Growth Strategy.
The strategy, intended to revolutionize Zambia, was recently adopted, and culminated in the adoption of the Green Economy and Climate Change Act last December as a watchdog on climate action.
The cooperation with the European Union’s collaboration forms part of the meeting held between Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema and the Managing Director for Africa from the European External Action Service on April 16.
This was intended to entrench the EU-Zambia partnership Dialogue under the Samoa Agreement between EU and African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries.
Speaking during a dialogue meeting in Lusaka, EU Head of Delegation to Zambia and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Karolina Stasiak, it was the resolve of the grouping to sustain support towards the environment and chiefly climate change to foster growth in various sectors, which it has championed globally.
“We collectively continue to support the Government and Zambian private sector in priority sectors of the green and digital transformation – such as circular economy, clean energy, water, skills, forests, innovation, and access to finance for SMEs, helping to ensure fair competition to comply with global climate and biodiversity targets.”
Speaking on the forthcoming COP 30 in Brazil in November, the EU felt it was prudent to discuss implementation strategies relating to climate change in Zambia.
This will allow Zambia’s private sector to share and seek investment in the circular economy, clean energy, water, skills, and forests in priority sectors of the green and digital transformation.
The partnership Dialogue, she stated, was vital as it was a bridge-builder for the EU to transmit the points on Environment and Climate for information to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
There was no substantial discussion earlier due to the lack of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.
And the EU is concerned with the recent pollution of Kafue River that was recently reported in when a mining company poured huge quantities of acid, affecting the ecosystem. It called for a sustainable and foolproof regulation that will deter and punish such offenders who pollute such water sources with impunity.
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The polluter pays principle is equally embedded in EU regulations and the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia (Art. 255b). It is important to maintain the principle that the entity that caused the pollution has to bear all the cost for the remedy.” she stated.
She warns the country to look and deter such uncouth acts after the Government allowed more investment in mining to attain 3 from 800, 000 metric tons million tons of copper to be mined per annum by 2031.
“The mining industry needs to act responsibly, and the laws of Zambia need to be respected.”
Environmental impact assessments must include strong recommendations on prevention, mitigation, and compensation instruments for mining activities in and near Protected Areas.
On forestry, the EU rates Zambia among the only six countries globally seek to sustain its partnership to provide support and redress deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss as embedded in the EU Global Gateway Strategy.
They will help Zambia derive benefits from the forests for growth and foster job creation, while preserving the natural resource of the forest.
And Britain’s Anna Wellenstein, the Regional Director for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, and Dr. Achim Fock, Zambia’s country’s Manager, reaffirmed their support in upscaling climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Britain resolved to continue assisting the Zambia Environmental Agency in overseeing pollution-related matters and to assist the Zambia Meteorological Agency in improving its capacity to acquire new and modern equipment to detect weather systems.
And Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha reiterated Zambia’s resolve to undertake reforms in various sectors
This is to help insulate them against climate change while stressing Zambia’s resolve to implement policies.
Zambia, he adds, is desirous to remain committed to regional and global environmental goals, to which the partners reaffirmed their support for Zambia’s green growth agenda, pledging technical and financial cooperation to accelerate joint initiatives.
Minister Mposha informed Britain of Zambia’s interest in bolstering climate change matters.
He cites the creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and
environment to foster inclusive, equitable, and accelerated development through the sustainable use of natural resources.
The enactment of the Green Economy and Climate Change Act No. 18 of 2024 in December last year is now awaiting operationalization.
Strides have been made to actualize the national green growth strategy launched in April last year to lead the country’s transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient, resilient, and socially inclusive economy by 2030, and it was supported by the World Bank to show close collaboration.
“This partnership dialogue marks a significant step in aligning our national green economy priorities with regional and international development frameworks.”
“We look forward to leveraging these relationships to drive meaningful climate solutions for the benefit of all Zambians.”