Musukuma explains why KK, Chiluba were not invited to Smart Partnership
By Noel Sichalwe
Saturday August 02, 2008 [04:01]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa’s press aide John Musukuma yesterday said the government could not invite former presidents Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Frederick Chiluba to the Smart Partnership conference because they are not fellows to the partnership movement.
Musukuma said all the former presidents that attended the Global Southern Africa Smart Partnership conference were invited as fellows of Commonwealth Partnership for Technology and Management (CPTM).
He said former Namibian president Sam Nujoma, former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano and former president of Botswana Sir Ketumile Masire were invited as fellows of the CPTM.
“We do not invite former presidents, we invite fellows,” Musukuma explained.
According to the Mulungushi Smart Notes, a fellow of CPTM may be bestowed on any head of governments or persons of private eminence in governments or in private or public sector companies and organisations who actively support the concept and practice.
Such persons may have also provided CPTM thoughtful leadership on developmental issues and guidance on financial sustainability, who have been invited by other fellows to become a fellow of CPTM.
CPTM was set up by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Auckland, New Zealand in October 1995. Over the years, CPTM has pioneered ways to take new ideas forward through the Smart Partnership International Dialogue.
The document states that a special category of mainly heads of state and government have been invited to become CPTM fellows to provide advice on how to take new ideas forward which have generated in discussions through the medium of the country, regional and global organisations.
The government did not invite Dr Kaunda and Chiluba to attend the conference despite hosting the dialogue at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka. The conference ended on Thursday.
Labels: CPTM, JOHN MUSUKUMA, KENNETH KAUNDA, SMART PARTNERHIPS
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Smart Partners initiatives mobilise $46m for infrastructure
By Noel Sichalwe
Wednesday July 30, 2008 [13:47]
THE Smart Partners Financial Initiatives have mobilised about US $46 million under the Africa Infrastructure Fund (AIF) for Africa's infrastructure development. According to the Smart Notes presented by Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management Ltd (CPTM) executive director Dr Mihaela Smith and CPTM fellow Sir Charles Masefield, the money would be expended according to opportunities considered on a case by case basis.
They said some of the examples of investments committed or in negotiations included the US $26 million investment in a strategic partnership with port and rail companies to develop port and rail links to three countries and substantial mineral extractive activities.
The duo said there has been a US $20 million investment for 82 per cent stake in management services contract in Uganda with a local company in developing African telecoms network, US $26 million investment in management services contract in Tanzania for a national telecoms network among others. "After decades of under investment, Africa needs infrastructure to deliver its exports and achieve economic diversity," they have stated. "Average sustained GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate of above 5 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to climb to 6.5 per cent in 2008.
Focus has been on countries fulfilling the following criteria; significant number of investment opportunities, progress in democratic process, respect for rule of law and easy of doing business." They said that they have identified 24 opportunities, committed up to US $46 million, identified three opportunities totaling US $49 million and that opportunities totaling US $75 million were progressing well.
The duo said sub-Saharan Africa's wealth in mineral resources made it a key partners to the western world and that after decades of under investment, Africa needed infrastructure to deliver its exports and achieve economic diversity.
Labels: CPTM, INFRASTRUCTURE, SMART PARTNERHIPS
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Levy urges countries to address development, diversity
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday April 27, 2008 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has said it is imperative that issues of economic development and diversity continue to be addressed for Zambia to become a prosperous middle-income nation it is striving to be. And President Mwanawasa he deliberately arranged that the Global Southern Africa Smart Partnership Dialogue (GSAID) 2008 in July coincides with the Zambia agricultural and commercial show so that Zambia could market itself to the visiting countries.
Launching the GSAID 2008 at Hotel InterContinental in Lusaka yesterday, President Mwanawasa said the GSAID, which Zambia will host for the first time between July 28th and 30th, 2008, was a good platform through which countries would share experiences and different perspectives of enhancing economic development. He said the dialogue would be a stepping stone for Zambia to enhance its efforts to become a middle-income country by 2030.
“This dialogue occurs under the auspices of the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management Limited (CPTM) that was launched at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting held in New Zealand in November 1995.
One of its principle objectives is to promote a cooperative global approach to the harnessing of technology for development through public and private sector partnerships,” President Mwanawasa explained. “Smart partnership dialogues are platforms where participants discuss various issues related in particular to development.”
He said dialogues focused on finding solutions and measures for achieving sustainable economic development. President Mwanawasa said the over 400 participants expected to attend the GSAID in Zambia would be drawn from Commonwealth, the SADC region and beyond.
“You will note that the dialogue will be held concurrently with this year’s Zambia agriculture and commercial show. On 31st July, 2008, smart partners will dialogue with the show on the growth and diversity during a field trip. They will dialogue in grouped on several topics and thereby create links through Smart Partnership,” President Mwanawasa said.
“The presence of smart partners at the show will enhance business opportunities for the local and international show exhibitors. I urge the show management and exhibitors to begin now to prepare to take advantage of the opportunities provided by having the dialogue in Zambia.”
Smart Partnership was launched in New Zealand in 1995 during the Commonwealth heads of government meeting. Smart Partnership is a concept that denotes connection between the governments and the private sector or connections between countries which are designed to create synergy. And commerce minister Felix Mutati said Smart Partnership dialogue enhanced development of mankind.
“The dialogue enables participants to interact in an informal atmosphere so that ideas can be exchanged freely. That is a key unique feature of the dialogue,” said Mutati. “The dialogue brings together presidents, prime ministers, ministers, leaders of labour movement, civil servants and business leaders and various other people working for a common goal.”
Labels: CPTM, DEVELOPMENT, GSAID, MWANAWASA
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