President Edgar Lungu says government is looking at ways of finding alternative sources of energy in the generation of electricity to supplement hydro power supply which is not enough to meet the whole country’s demand.
The President said alternative sources of energy such as solar would help the country cope with the effects of climate change which he said has adversely affected the current hydro power generation.
The President noted that the country’s energy sector has been badly affected by the effects of climate change which resulted in poor rainfall pattern.
“In some areas we had too much rain while in other areas we had very little rain. All those are consequences of climatic change problems which we are struggling with. I am glad that France is putting more efforts towards finding solutions to these problems,” the President told the visiting French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy who paid a courtesy call on him at State House yesterday.
The Head of State said the country is also striving to find ways of reducing on importation of petroleum products by embarking on establishment of projects that will ensure the country gets renewable sources of energy.
President Lungu told the visiting Minister that Zambia is ready to welcome partnerships with France in the area of energy because the country is looking at finding alternative sources of energy and require investment in that sector.
He said the country has vast unexploited land and forest which could be used to produce cheap energy using ecological friendly methods.
And The Visiting French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Segolene Royal was quick to note that Africa is the victim of global warming hence the need for efforts to find solutions to problems that have been created by the phenomenon.
Mrs Royal told the President that there is need to mobilize international finance amounting to US$100 million from Copen Hagen to quickly finance projects such as alternative sources of energy like solar to reduce dependence on hydro-electricity.
She said her delegation is in Zambia to find out priority areas of investment but observed that solar energy projects seem to be vital for the country.
The Visiting Minister led a delegation comprising French Ambassador to Zambia Emmanuel Cohet who is also special representative to COMESA, French President’s Deputy Advisor for Africa Thomas Melonio, Scientific Adviser for Environmental, Bioversity and Climate Gilles Boeuf and the Advisor in charge of Bioversity, Landscape and Agro-ecology Vincent Jechoux.
This laughable coming from a visionless out going president, This statement form the PF president is too little too late. Edgar has failed to rise to the occasion. He has failed to realise he is Republican President. Under his watch, massive laod-shedding, worthless kwacha, high fuel and transport cost, everything is just bad….
How can a president not have a secretary to take notes…. visitors have to wait and watch him write?
Nawakwi was right need banafimbusa
That is a cost saving measure. His Excellence is right not to have the secretary
this lazy bum only looks to loans to solve every single problem…too dull and too lazy!!
Bati Ediga , no secretary to write for you shuwa, or do you think you look efficient taking notes your self?. Indeed you have a lot to learn.
The visionless fellow can’t even quantify what he’s talking about. A normal person would say something like ” we are investing $Xmillion in harnessing solar energy” that way you show the person listening your seriousness.
Edgar is presido up to end of 2016 how many months to go? 17 haters will die with frustration and envy, let him enjoy. If he employs a secretary you the same goons will be claiming over blotted state house staff. Zambia will never develop if we are all negative
My people perish for lack of vision.
These Up.. Things are really becoming a problem in this country, they come out like wild dogs on every statement that the President makes ! You can’t criticise the head of state each time you open your mouth!
“He said the country has vast unexploited land and forest which could be used to produce cheap energy using ecological friendly methods.”
How? Maybe he thinks there is electricity hiding in the forest?
He doesn’tknow what he talking about he means charcoal!!
What a JOKER?
Yaluma was also on Radio Phoenix today (for only an hour and ran away) talking about solar and NUCLEAR energy. How will they handle nuclear waste when they cannot even manage ZESCO. Just clowing around because there are so many semi-lliterates in this country. And what is the effectiveness of solar (watts/dollar invested)?
Edgar just doesn’t know how to run a country.
Tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Late!
I agree. Seeking alternative source of energy for ED. Hot air requires more than spiritual fumes…
We are very quick to criticize anything the president says or does, but we are not quick to withdraw our thieving fingers from wherever we work, especially in government offices! Greedy and hopeless fellows!
How come the president was not wearing socks?
Swag boi