Forum for Democracy and Development President Edith Nawakwi has observed that the African content should treat the provision of Clean Energy as a human rights issue because the commodity is as important as bloody is to the body.

The opposition leader says poverty and lack of energy are directly related and that African leaders should look at poverty eradication as way of increasing the demand for clean energy in the continent.

Speaking when she featured on Africa Debate a monthly debate program on the BBC Radio Ms. Nawakwi who is a former Energy Minister in the late President Chiluba’s administration noted that people in the continent continue to use toxic energy due to the high cost of renewable energy.

She explained that uplifting the stand of living of the masses in the continent would come with the demand for cleaner energy hence the need for African leaders to discuss funding for uplifting people’s lives.

“I still insist that we need to say that energy is a right which ever source it comes from and it has to come from renewable sources because energy is to the economy what blood is to body, you cannot give toxins to the body therefore you cannot give toxic electricity to your people.

I would like our leaders when they go to the next United Nations (UN) meeting to talk about funding for the uplifting of the standard of living of our people because that will come with their demand for cleaner energy,” said Ms. Nawakwi.

And Ms. Nawakwi observed the best way of mitigating greenhouse emission is by sensitizing people on the negative impact the indiscriminate cutting down of trees has on the environment as well as looking for optional solutions for specific communities.

“The best way to contribute in reducing greenhouse gases is by motivating our people to understand that you may cut a tree to make fire wood but that will contribute to the adverse effects of the environment in the feature.

I would like us to find solutions were we motivate our people to start looking at tree planting as well as Agro- forestry. I think that this is the quickest solution if we are going to move forward with this debate otherwise if we move the debate were hydro generation is the answer we will miss the point,” Ms. Nawakwi said.

She added “Hydro generation is mostly used for commercial use as for households we need to look at specific solutions for specific communities.

Let’s look at the specific case of Zambia, yes we have potential in as far as Hydro generation is concerned but how many Zambians will be connected to the national greed in the next 50 years.”

The full program can be downloaded on the BBC website by going to BBC Africa Debate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02sftfs

THE 5th African Digital Television Development conference is underway in Beijing, China as countries world-over, Zambia included, prepare to switch over from analogue to digital television broadcasting on 17th June, 2015 as prescribed by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union, ITU.

The conference which is being hosted by StarTimes, one of China’s lead players in digital technology, has brought together high profile delegations from 29 countries in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.

They include government officials, experts in the broadcasting industry, heads of financial institutions, media representatives and other international broadcasting content suppliers.

Zambia is represented at the five day conference, by Information and Broadcasting Services Minister and Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili whose delegation includes his permanent secretary Godfrey Malama, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZNBC board chairperson Dr John Mulwila and ZNBC Director general Richard Mwanza.

In his statement during the official opening ceremony of the conference this morning, Mr Kambwili said the conference provides a fertile opportunity for the exchange of ideas, experiences and expertise as Africa and the rest of the world prepare to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting technology.

He told the gathering that the Zambian government is implementing the digital migration programme in three phases starting with urban areas along the line of rail to be followed by provincial centres and finally the rest of the country.

He said phase one of Zambia’s digital migration has since been completed and will be switched from analogue to digital broadcasting on 17th June, 2015.

“Zambia is therefore, keen to learn from China and other countries’ experience and expertise in moving our digital migration process forward. We also see this meeting as crucially important in bridging technology transfer from China to Africa,” said Mr Kambwili.

Mr Kambwili also spoke highly of the long-standing relations between Zambia and China in many sectors of development.

The Minister said China’s policy of cooperation with other countries rather than coercion, has generated favourable conditions for the continued growth of its relations with Africa.

“Zambia, like other African countries, cherishes the excellent and long-standing relations with the People’s Republic of China. The two countries have, and continue to cooperate in many sectors of development which include health, education, infrastructure development, sport, information and technology,” he said.

Construction works for the new Kenneth Kaunda International Airport terminal has started.

Works, Supply, Transport and Communication minister Yamfwa Mukanga says the works will be completed within the stipulated 54 months period.

Mr. Mukanga who inspected the works in Lusaka today said the funders EXIM Bank of China has released 1 hundred and 8 million dollars out of 3 hundred and 60 million dollars earmarked for the project.

He said government has no direct involvement in the financing of the project and that the designs are still the same contrary to media speculations.

Mr. Mukanga says 95 percent of the drawings have been completed.

He said the Contractor China Jiangsu will start with the construction of the Presidential terminal, fire and rescue, control tower and the International terminal building.

And government says it has not abandon plans to introduce a National Airline.

Mr. Mukanga says is still working out strategies on the project.

He has told the media in Lusaka that government is hopeful that Zambia will have a national flag carrier by the year 2018.

He said government wants the country to have a national airline once the modern Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Terminal is completed.

Opposition UPND Bweengwa Member of Parliament Highvie Hamududu has warned of unprecedented excess expenditure if government does not revise the 2015 national budget.
Mr. Hamududu who is also Chairperson of the Expanded Parliamentary Committee on Estimates said the budget is law and therefore the 2015 national budget must be inevitably revised now that six months has elapsed from the time it was passed by Parliament.

He told Qfm News by telephone that he thinks the PF government knows what it is supposed to do and must not pretend as if things are normal after adjusting the Mine Tax regime.Mr. Hamududu has maintained that government must cut down on non priority expenditure areas in revising the national budget if the country is going manage to sail through.

He said that in its current form, the 2015 budget is already indicating a serious overrun because the PF government has announced too many projects beyond what the budget can carry.
Mr Hamududu says he has taken note that the budget overruns under the PF government has been mounting over the years and therefore what is happening now is the fruition of the mismatch between Zambia’s capacity to generate revenue and the many expenditure items the government has pushed through.

Rwanda is seeking to recruit teachers of English from Zambia, whose educational standards have impressed the central African country, which has switched its official language from French to English.

This came to light when Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba met Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Louise Mushikiwabo.

“We have realised that Zambia has had a very good educational system for many years, and in our search for teachers of the English language and other topics, we felt we could get those services from there, ” said the Rwandan Minister

She said after conducting research, Rwanda has identified Zambia as one of the countries where that country could source teachers of English, technical and vocational trades.

And minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba has delivered a message from President Lungu to Rwandan President Paul Kagame here.

Mr Kalaba met President Kagame on Sunday night at Kigali Serena Hotel, where they had a closed-door meeting that lasted close to an hour.

The minister said President Kagame and his government want enhanced relations with Zambia in such areas as trade and foreign direct investment.

He said that during the meeting, Mr Kagame expressed interest in Zambian teachers who could teach English in Rwandan schools.

Mr Kalaba said President Kagame also talked about the need to maintain peace in the Great Lakes Region in order to increase trade for the benefit of the people.

To this effect, Rwanda will soon host a Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) to discuss issues of trade, co-operation, peace and security and Zambia will attend as a member.

Mr Kalaba further said Rwanda would like to widen the canal from Lake Kivu to Mpulungu Harbour via Lake Tanganyika.

“President Kagame talked about the need to hold a JPC between the two countries to look at different areas of bilateral co-operation, peace and security. President Lungu is playing a pivotal role in the peace process in the Great Lakes Region, where Rwanda is a member,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Kalaba met with his Rwandan counterpart Louise Mushikiwabo and discussed several issues on peace and security, bilateral co-operation and trade, among others.

The minister noted after the meeting that Rwanda has shown so much potential for co-operation, as it has changed from being a Francophone country to an Anglophone one.

He said as a result, Zambia will consider an exchange programme for English and French teachers to work in either country.

“We acknowledge our trade potential between the two countries and we want to see that most of our products come into Rwanda. We want to see if we can have our companies coming into Kigali to set up their businesses,” Mr Kalaba said.

The minister said copper cathodes, sugar and cement are some of the products with good market in Rwanda.

Mr Kalaba also said there is need for Zambia to learn how Rwanda has excelled in land management.
He pointed out that out of a population of 12 million people, Rwanda has been able to issue 11 million title deeds, while Zambia has only 80,000 titled land with a population of about 14 million people.

Meanwhile, the two ministers indicated that their governments are working in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the issue of Rwandan refugees in Zambia. Speaking after the meeting, Ms Mushikiwabo also said the two countries are working on an extradition treaty for individuals who may be wanted by either country.

Mr Kalaba’s delegation includes first secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vincent Mwewa and acting surveyor general Francis Minango.