Government has disclosed that plans are underway to broaden and strengthen the capacity of all research and Information institutions in the country.

Health Minster, Kapembwa Simbao says with the increasing demand for information in the country, research institutions can play an important role in providing accurate information on developmental programmes.

Speaking when he officiated at the launch of the 2007 Zambia Demography Health Survey (ZDHS) report in Lusaka today, Mr. Simbao noted that through strengthening of research institutions, national surveys will be concluded in time.

Mr. Simbao explained the ZDHS report is an important document which will assist government in evaluating what is needed to attain the fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said ZDHS reports also play a critical role in the understanding of Social and economy indicators for many people.

He said there is need for all stakeholders to partner with government and ensure that national survey projects are well funded if they are to produce good results.

He further reaffirmed government’s commitment to provide support to projects aimed at providing information for national consumption.

Earlier United Nations Resident Coordinator, Macleod Nyirongo, said in view of the global recession there is need for Zambia to have reliable developmental information to re-focus and track progress towards reaching the goals of vision 2030, FNDP and the MDGs.

Mr. Nyirongo explained that with six more years to the attainment of MDGs, the ZDHS report will assist stakeholders in engaging in critical analysis of the findings and understanding the implications of the results.

He called for concerted efforts from partners in coming up with good innovative approaches and interventions to the gaps that still exist in the report.

He has also disclosed that the UN system in Zambia with cooperating partners have engaged in further detailed triangulation of the ZDHS 2007 report with other studies such as the EPI-synthesis.

The UN Envoy further appealed to Zambian to utilize the results of the survey in re-adjusting their strategic and Programme focus for enhancing human development in the country in the remaining two-years of two FNDP 2006-2010.

Central Statistical Office (CSO), Director Efreda Chulu, said ZDHS report provides key indicators that inform the nation on important health programmes.

Mrs. Chulu pointed out that accurate information on both the population and national projects are vital in strengthening of the information generation.

She disclosed that CSO as an organization tasked by the government to carry out the survey, faced a lot of challenges ranging from inadequate resources to ignorance on the part of most citizens due to lack of information.

She also reiterated the importance of having a good census, adding that surveys like the ZDHS draw their samples from the total national census.

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A Zambian economist has urged the African leaders scheduled to meet UK’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown ahead of next month’s G20 summit on the economic recession to highlight issues that will cushion the impact of economic meltdown on the African continent.

Dr. Francis Chigunta said African leaders should use this opportunity to push for an international regulatory framework that would support the economic growth and development of Africa.

Dr. Chigunta told ZANIS that the current international regulatory framework on economic growth was heavily stuck on the already developed countries thereby disadvantaging the developing world.

Dr. Chigunta said there was need for African leaders to ask the bilateral organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to be lenient on the conditions when giving financial assistance as they continue rendering support.

He said the leaders needed to see to it that the conditions that they would be given would not further burden the African Nations which were already affected by the crunch.

Dr. Chigunta also said it would not be fair for South Africa to be the country that would represent the entire continent at the April 2nd G20 summit to be held in UK.

Dr. Chigunta said South Africa’s economy was more developed hence the impact of the crunch was not as grave as it had been on other developing countries.

He said South Africa was not likely to fully represent all the African Nations but that there was need for the continent to be represented by a country with a developing economy and not an intermediate country.

According to British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Gordon Brown will meet African leaders to discuss their concerns on how their economies have been affected by the global downturn ahead of the G20 summit with South Africa being the only African country to attend the event.

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Government says it recognizes Social Cash transfers as a key intervention to address hunger and poverty in the social protection strategy and in the Fifth National Development Plan.

Kazungula District Commissioner, Fred Siasuntwe, said since the introduction of the social cash transfer pilots, the scheme has rapidly gained support and proven to be a highly effective response to the chronic poverty, food insecurity, vulnerability and risks.

Mr. Siasuntwe said this when he officiated at Kazungula District Social Cash Transfer stakeholders’ meeting held at Fair Mount Hotel in Livingstone today.

He disclosed that Kazungula district now has a total of 735 households benefiting from the scheme.

Mr. Siasuntwe said there are 361 households benefiting from the scheme in Chief Nyawa’s area, 141 from Chief Musokotwane’s area, 83 from Chief Mukuni’s area 63 from Chief Moomba and 87 from Chief Sekute’s area.

He said funding has been provided by government and a group of cooperating partners that include DFID, GTZ, IRISH AID, UNICEF and CARE International.

The Social Cash Transfer Schemes were initiated by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services in 2003 as part of the Ministry’s programming to protect and promote the livelihoods and welfare of people suffering from extreme levels of poverty and deprivation.

Social Cash Transfer Schemes are currently operational in five districts in two provinces namely Monze, Kalomo and Kazungula in Southern Province and Chipata and Katete in Eastern Province.

Earlier, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Morris Moono, said the workshop would provide an opportunity for other stakeholders to understand and support the implementation and scaling up of the social cash transfers to national programming.

Mr. Moono thanked Care International for the support it rendered towards the workshop.

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The Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources partnered with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have partnered to create awareness for the campaign on climate change.

Tourism , Environment and Natural Resources Minister Catherine Namungala said she is concerned that most African countries including Zambia were still not fully aware of the serious threats that climate change posed to people’s livelihoods and sustainable development.

The Minister stressed the need to create awareness of the social, economic and environmental implications that climate change posed and the urgency for action in terms of implementing, adapting and mitigating measures which should enlist public participation.

She emphasized the need for African countries to speak with one voice in negotiating for favourable interventions like carbon trading that would help address the problem of climate change while supporting development initiatives in developing countries.

She called for the adoption for common stand by developing countries to be used in negotiating for a better deal such as expansion of clean mechanism development [CDM] projects in Africa.

The Minister made the remarks when COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya paid a courtesy call on her.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS by Public Relations Officer Bwalya Nondo.

Mr. Ngwenya applauded the Minister for providing credible leadership on climate change.

He said the choice of Zambia as a pilot country by the Norway for the reduced emission from deforestation project was an indication of the nation’s readiness to shoulder the challenge of combating climate change.

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