Maravi

UN coordinator urges accelerated economic diversification

UN coordinator urges accelerated economic diversification
By Florence Bupe
Tue 05 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT

UNITED Nations resident coordinator Kanni Wignaraja has advised government to accelerate efforts towards economic diversification as a means of achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGS).

In her statement on the progress of Zambia’s achievement of the MDGs, Wignaraja said there is a need to accelerate and focus on development challenges facing the country, such as the diversification of the economy.

“Overall, Zambia’s progress towards the MDGs is commendable. However, increased action is urgently needed to scale up the attainment of the MDGs by 2015,” Wignaraja said.

“Greater efforts will be needed to further enhance environmental sustainability, reduce further maternal mortality and address gender inequalities.”

Wignaraja also called on government and other stakeholders to seriously identify ways of averting the negative effects of climate change.

She observed that the country’s key economic sectors such as agriculture and tourism were largely affected by the climate and that reluctance to tackle climate change would have disastrous effects on the growth of the economy.

“In Zambia, any change in the climate can spell disaster. With over 70 per cent of Zambians depending on agriculture, even a slight change in temperature can affect crops like maize with catastrophic consequences for livelihoods,” said Wignaraja.

“Climate change has also begun to affect Zambia’s national tourism industry.”

And foreign affairs minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa observed that cooperating partners were an integral part in the achievement of MDGs through enhanced economic growth.

“The positive economic growth that Zambia continues to enjoy has been made possible with the support of our cooperating partners…,” said Dr Mwansa.

Labels: ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION, KALOMBO MWANSA, KANNI WIGNARAJA, MDGs

posted by MrK @ 12:19 PM