Maravi

Rupiah admits need for donors to help Zambia

COMMENT - The question to ambassador Mark Storella should be - why would you give $400 million to a corrupt government - unless your government itself is corrupt.

Rupiah admits need for donors to help Zambia
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tue 21 Sep. 2010, 15:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said it would be very difficult for Zambia to attain the middle income status by 2030 without cooperating partners foreign donors.

And US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella has announced that his government will this year spend about US $400 million about K2 trillion to strengthen Zambia’s health system and service delivery among other things.

President Banda has applauded the US government for its continued technical, material and financial assistance to Zambia and its people every year.

“Our goal as a country is to attain middle income status by the year 2030. This would be very difficult to attain without cooperating partners such as the United States of America who continue to complement our efforts with initiatives and programmes aimed at reducing disease and poverty,” he said.

“The support of the United States of America and our cooperating partners in general consequently contributes meaningfully to Zambia’s sustainable development.”

Barely a month ago, President Banda had castigated donors who had questioned his administration’s governance record by refusing to appeal against a High Court of Zambia ruling that blocked the registration of the London judgment which found former president Frederick Chiluba liable for theft.

President Banda asked the donors to pack and go.

And speaking when he presented his credentials to President Banda at State House in Lusaka yesterday, Ambassador Storella said he looked forward to working with President Banda’s government to advance Zambia’s commitment to good governance and national development, including free and fair elections, anti-corruption efforts, poverty reduction, health and economic growth.

“In support of these mutual goals, this year the United States will expend almost K2 trillion, or US$400 million, strengthening Zambia’s health system and combating AIDS, improving educational opportunities for Zambian children, increasing agricultural output and strengthening institutions and service delivery. All in cooperation with your government,” said Ambassador Storella. “Working together, we can achieve the goals set out in your national development strategy while ensuring effectiveness of our cooperative programmes and accountability that any enduring partnership requires.”

And receiving credentials from Kenya’s new High Commissioner to Zambia Dr Kipyego Cheluget, President Banda said Zambia was proud that Kenya overcame the post-electoral violence, which broke out in 2007.

“My government applauded even louder last month’s adoption of the new constitution by referendum. By this action, your country turned a fresh page of its history,” President Banda said.

Dr Cheluget said under the leadership of President Mwai Kibaki, Kenya had risen from the ashes of the 2007 general elections to reclaim her rightful place in the international community after the recent constitutional referendum.

He said Kenya acknowledged the positive developments in Zambia, adding that President Banda had taken bold steps to successfully steer Zambia through the recent global economic downturn and made the country remain the beacon of peace and political stability.

“It is for this reason that I believe the people of Zambia will put all these factors into consideration as they decide in 2011,” said Dr Cheluget.

Malawi’s new High Commissioner to Zambia, David Bandawe, who also presented credentials to President Banda, called for closer cooperation between the two countries.

And President Banda urged High Commissioner Bandawe and Zambia’s envoy to Malawi Major Richard Kachingwe to speed up the implementation of current bilateral agreements for the benefit of Zambians and Malawians, especially the poor.

Labels: DONORS, MARK STORELLA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:02 PM