Zambia reiterates commitment to a green economy

ABIDJAN/LUSAKA (ILO News) – President Edgar Lungu of Zambia reiterated his government's commitment to a green economy and sustainable development in Zambia in his inauguration speech delivered mid-September at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

"It is now time for us to make concerted efforts at protecting, preserving and rehabilitating our country's environment so as to systematically mitigate the effects of climate change and make our tourism industry more meaningful," President Lungu said.

The announcement came a week before the convening by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of a special “High-Level Event on Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change” on 21 September at the UN Headquarters in New York for the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Zambian president echoed his government's position in mobilizing efforts to end poverty in Zambia and to tackle challenges brought about by climate change, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Zungu called for efforts towards building an inclusive and resilient self-sustaining economy in which citizens continuously produce and consume locally manufactured products and also engage in exports, a situation he described as, "a new cultural dispensation calling for hard work."

In line with the diversification agenda, the president continues to assure citizens that his government is committed in actively pursuing alternative sources of energy such as thermal, solar, wind and bio-mass.

The president has in recent months also gone on record to reaffirm government's position on how it intends to lead a green revolution that will culminate in sustainable national development.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) welcomes this latest initiative and is ready to boost the Zambia Green Jobs Programme which is is a partnership between the Government of Zambia and the United Nations (UN), including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), The United Nations Environment programme (UNEP), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the ILO.
The programme is led by the ILO, with financial assistance from the Government of Finland, and is aimed at promoting more and better jobs for inclusive and green growth in sectors where goods and services can be produced with an environmental benefit.

Contact: Ms. Helene Thor, JPO -Zambia Green Jobs Project, [email protected]