By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The World Bank has commended the Government’s implementation of climate resilience projects.
World Bank Task Team Leads Ms Nathalie Weier Johnson and Ms Ngao Mubanga expressed satisfaction during a virtual debrief with Ministry of Green Economy and Environment PS Ms John Msimuko at the start the World Bank Implementation Support Mission this week.
Ms Johnson and Ms Mubanga expressed satisfaction with the manner the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) being implemented in Western Province including Kazungula District of Southern Province.
The World Bank expressed optimism to replicate the climate resilient project in other parts of the country and modelled on the successes of the PPCR.
The Permanent Secretary welcomed the World Bank Implementation Support Mission and assured the team of the Zambia Government support.
Mr Msimuko was impressed with the World Bank expression of satisfaction with the implementation of the PPCR funded project namely the Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Barotse Sub-basin (SCReBS), which is progressively winding down as it closes in December 2022.
He said a total of 1,366 sub-projects have been completed out of 1,659 that were funded, representing an overall completion rate of 82 per cent, and that all remaining sub-projects will be fully implemented and closed out in the remaining time between 4th quarter 2021 and end of first quarter of 2022.
The Permanent Secretary assured the World Bank that the New Government attaches great importance to addressing climate change challenges, environmental degradation and deforestation.
Meanwhile the Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu, in the company of Mr Msimuko, had held a meeting with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Director General Dr Frank Rijisberman and Director Strategic Partnership Dr Mahamadou Tounkara on the sideline of the COP26 Conference in Glasgow in Scotland before returning to Lusaka.
During the meeting, Zambia reaffirmed its commitment to become a member of the GGGI and to benefit from the treaty-based inter-governmental international development in the country’s efforts to combat climate change.
The two parties agreed to speed up the ratification of Zambia membership process, which is expected to conclude in the first quarter of 2022.
At present there are two projects that GGGI and Zambia are working on together, namely the Readiness Proposal under the Green Climate Fund and the International Climate Initiative supported by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
