Thursday, December 04, 2008

Swedish ambassador hails The Post for its coverage

Swedish ambassador hails The Post for its coverage
Written by Sydney Mungala
Thursday, December 04, 2008 4:43:45 AM

THE Post is a paper you cannot do without if you want to know what is happening in the country, Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Lars Ronnas has observed. And Goteborgs-Posten assistant editor Anders Goliger said twinning newspapers was one way of meeting global challenges facing newspapers.

During a cocktail at Post deputy managing director Sam Mujuda's residence held for visiting Swedish journalists, Ambassador Ronnas said outsiders relied on The Post as a source of news.

"Every morning going to the office I try to see what is in The Post, what The Post is saying on the front page. It is a newspaper you can't be without if you try to follow what is happening in the country," he said.

Ambassador Ronnas said he was encouraged to see a newspaper like The Post in Zambia that he described as vocal and independent.

"It is a vocal voice and independent voice. It is something that we as outside observers read everyday. I am encouraged to see that Zambia has a paper like The Post," Ambassador Ronnas said.

And Goliger said newspapers become stronger by listening and learning from each other.

"The newspaper industry faces global challenges so this project is one way of meeting them," Goliger said.

And Mujuda said the wisdom by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) to facilitate the twinning of The Post and Goteborgs-Posten could set the standard for the twinning of newspapers in future.

"I would like to say this is a very ambitious programme by the World Association of Newspapers. They have been able to draw these two newspapers which I would like to believe may not have a lot of likeness. The Post has been in existence for 17 years and Goteborgs-Posten is next year turning 150 years. That already gives us an idea of the differences," said Mujuda.

"But I think the wisdom that WAN had cannot be underrated I think there is definitely something that they have seen in the two organisations that they feel would be able to set a certain standard or a platform for future cooperation between newspapers."

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Saturday, June 07, 2008

Swedish aid to depend on corruption fight

Swedish aid to depend on corruption fight
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Saturday June 07, 2008 [04:00]

SWEDISH Ambassador to Zambia Lars Ronnas yesterday said donor assistance from his country will partly depend on the success in fighting corruption. During Sweden’s national day, Ambassador Ronnas said Sweden’s support to Zambia would also depend on how well the government would utilise money realised from the mining sector as well as getting a sound public administration in place to ensure that basic social services were available to all, rich and poor. He said Zambia was in many ways a richly-endowed country.

“What policies are put in place will ultimately determine whether poor Zambians will continue to live in poverty, or rise to a better standard of living,” he said.
Ambassador Ronnas said development assistance could not be a substitute for how a country chose to create and distribute its own wealth.

“The question is being asked why Swedes should contribute to health, clinics and agriculture extension services in Zambia. There are some very good answers to that question. But whether those answers will be taken as credible will indeed all depend on the success in fighting corruption, on getting a fair share out of the mines for public use, on getting a sound public administration in place to ensure that basic social services are available to all, rich and poor,” he said.

He said there were positive changes taking place in the recent year and there was also a sense of self-esteem around.

He said Zambia was a prime example illustrating the emergence of a new modern Africa, a country of stability, of an elected democratic government with ambitious development plans.

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