Zambia has been requested to provide more troops for the UN operations. This is in recognition for the country’s proficiency based on its previous contributions to UN Peace keeping Missions.

Zambia was last year ranked top in quality of peacekeeping troops in its missions by the United Nations. The country scored 90 per cent in competence based on its contributions to UN peacekeeping operations.

In an interview after making a presentation on the current and planned mechanized capability of the Zambia Defence Force at the 20th annual International Armoured vehicle conference held at Twickenham Stadium in the United Kingdom, Brigadier General Mudas Musukwa, Brigade Commander Armoured Brigade, Zambia Army said the British Department of Defence team is expected in Zambia to train more troops preparing to go for the UN Peace Keeping Operations.

And during the presentation, Brigadier General Musukwa said, Zambia has decided to mordernise the Defence force for it to be relevant in the era of dynamic security environment.

Brigadier General Musukwa said in order to meet the demands of new threats, the Zambia Army is in the process of realigning and reorganizing its forces as it also looks at revisiting its policy.

He said government has continued to support the modrenisation agenda by ensuring that the Defence Force acquires new equipment.

He told the conference that although the security environment in SADC and Zambia in particular is not yet volatile, the status quo in the security environment cannot be taken for granted.

Brigadier General Musukwa said Zambia Army Command desires to see a professional, modern and versatile army capable of preserving national and International peace and security by 2025, saying this will enable the Army to carry out its mission to preserve the sovereignty and defend the territorial integrity of Zambia and contribute to the maintenance of the world peace.

Former Finance Minister and Lusaka Central Member of Parliament Hon Margaret Mwanakatwe has commissioned 10 Envero Loo toilets in Bauleni and Malata compounds with the aim of helping the residents have access to descent biodegradable public toilets.

A composting toilet is a type of dry toilet that treats human excreta by a biological process called composting. This process leads to the decomposition of organic matter and turns human excreta into compost-like material but does not destroy all pathogens.

Composting is carried out by microorganisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) under controlled aerobic conditions. Most composting toilets use no water for flushing and are therefore called “dry toilets”.

Speaking when she handed over the keys to the committee that will be looking after the biodegradable toilets, Hon Mwanakatwe said the residents at Malata Market and Bauleni turn off (near the clinic) did not have the toilets to use hence the initiative to construct biodegradable toilets.

The Lusaka Central Lawmaker stated that she has spent about K480, 000 for the 25 toilets per ward using the Mwanakatwe Foundation funds which she said has a lot of people supporting it.

Hon Mwanakatwe said this is the first kind of technology in her constituency.

“I want to appeal to the residents to make sure that you protect these facilities as they are meant for you. Keep them clean and this will motivate me to construct more,” she said.

She explained that the pee in the toilets will evaporate while the faecal matter will be used to manufacture fertilizer.

She further explained that this is a unique technology as it does not require water.

Hon Mwanakatwe said the toilets are environmentally friendly.

And the Contractor Avalanche Solar Limited Representative Kelvin Situmbeko said there is no smell that will be coming from the toilet because they are environmentally friendly.

He said the ten toilets are now ready for use.

The Lusaka Central Member of Parliament is set to construct 25 biodegradable toilets per ward in all the four wards in Lusaka Central Constituency.

The Zambian mission in China has assured that there has been no report of a Zambian in that country affected by the corona virus so far.

Since December 2019, China has been hit by a flu causing virus that has been identified as a corona virus.

Zambia’s Ambassador to China, Winnie Chibesakunda has said in a statement issued to Phoenix News said that in the wake of the epidemic, the Zambian embassy in Beijing has been actively in touch with Zambian nationals in Wuhan and other cities across China.

Ambassador Chibesakunda further says the mission has since issued guidelines and an advisory to all Zambians in china detailing necessary precautionary measures to prevent infection among them crowded areas, minimizing travel to affected areas and use of masks when in crowded areas.

She has assured that the mission will continue to engage the Zambian community in china especially students who are spending their winter vacation in china for periodic updates on their welfare.

Ambassador Chibesakunda has since advised Zambians who may need to travel to China during this period to adhere to the safety precautions and others that may be advised from time to time

The Embassy of Zambia in Stockholm has invited the business community in Sweden to take advantage of the numerous investment opportunities that have remained unexploited in Zambia.

Speaking to about 40 senior executives from top-ranking Swedish companies at the weekend, Charge D’ Affaires at the Zambian Embassy in Stockholm, Mr. Nicky Shabolyo, invited the entrepreneurs to exploit the potential in the Zambian energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism sectors.

Mr. Shabolyo was speaking on the theme: Green Cities and Sustainable Solutions at a seminar organised by the Sweden – Sub-Saharan Africa Chambers of Commerce (SSACC) in conjunction with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The seminar is part of preparations for a business mission to Zambia in April this year which will be led by SSACC.

Mr. Shabolyo said Zambia recognised that the companies represented at the event were among those which have helped Sweden become one of the dominant economies in the world and that Zambia was looking forward to collaboration with them to help bring about sustainable development.

“You’re the drivers of the Swedish economy. You’re the ones that have helped make the economy of this country what it is today. And we feel privileged this morning as this gives us an opportunity to position ourselves and hopefully get you to do to Zambia what you have done and continue to do to Sweden,” Mr. Shabolyo said.

Among the companies represented were ABB Power Grids, Advanced Aerobic Technology AB, Appy Lda, Azelio, Bombardier, Confidere Sverige AB, Conscious Invest, Hexicon, Hunterhex, Kommerskollegium, Lars Thunell, LFV Aviation Consulting AB, LGSM, ND Power, and Nordomatic. Others were Pontarius AB, SAAB Group, Scania CV AB, Sebastian Hellman EV, Siemens Turbo Machinery, Sitlab AB, Sweco, The First Advisory, UD, Unipower, Voith Hydro AB, Wayout International AB, and Wedholms AB.

Mr. Shabolyo pointed out that demand for renewable energy in Zambia has seen significant growth in the recent years as the market explores alternative sources in order to reduce reliance on hydro power which has been the major source.

He said Zambia’s major source of electricity has been hydro and that demand has been growing at an average of about three per cent per annum mainly due to the increased economic activity in the country especially in the agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors. He observed that the situation has been compounded by recent dry spells which have made it impossible for the country to generate electricity at full capacity.

“So given this background, increasing investment in capacity for energy production, will be a sure sustainable solution to our energy challenges. Adequate electricity throughout the year will also help us attain sustainable development as it will have far reaching positive effects on the performance of the other sectors.
He told the audience that last November, the Zambian Cabinet, approved the Revised National Energy Policy in order to guide the development and management of the energy sector.

“Among other objectives, this is meant to encourage the growth of solar, wind, waste-to-energy, geo-thermal, and other forms of alternative energy. And this effort is in the light of challenges experienced in times of droughts compounded by the increased demand for energy in the country.”

Mr. Shabolyo pointed out that there was huge potential in solar projects in Zambia which had over 3,000 sunshine hours annually, geo-thermal plants, biofuel energy projects, and hydro-power in the northern parts of the country.

He further pointed out that a number of municipalities in Zambia were grappling with waste management which Sweden had effectively managed by utilising it in generation of energy and manufacture of various recycled products.

“We can obviously benefit by collaborating with Swedish companies which are renowned in this technology. We invite you to work with us so that we can explore possibilities of setting up mini-power plants using waste to generate energy,” Mr. Shabolyo said.

He noted that Swedish companies that recently embarked on a US$1 billion lithium-ion battery manufacturing project, could consider setting up a base in Zambia where cobalt, a major component in battery manufacturing, was in abundance.
Lithium batteries are projected to be in high demand in the near future considering the growing interest to shift to electric vehicles by most countries.

Mr. Shabolyo told the audience that apart from energy, the Zambian government has identified infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture as the sectors that had the greatest potential to help Zambia attain sustainable levels of development.

He urged the business community to explore the five sectors further in order for them to know how they could best help create a win-win situation for themselves and Zambia.
The Embassy and SSACC are working on another seminar which will involve a more streamlined group of companies that will eventually travel to Zambia in April.

And Deputy Head of the Africa Department in the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Fredrik Folkunger, who was impressed with the large turn-out of participants, encouraged the Swedish companies to take advantage of the opportunities that were available in Zambia.

Mr. Folkunger noted that the need for investment and sustainable solutions in Zambia was substantial at the moment especially that Swedish companies were skilled in sustainable solutions which were critical to Zambia.

And SSACC president, Åsa Jarskog urged the business community to make use of her organisation whenever they were planning to invest in Zambia as it had established an effective network which would help quicken the process of setting up investment in Zambia.