…As Minister Nzovu wins support of the Global Green Growth Institute, and gets technical assistance.
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 the Bank’s satisfaction during a virtual debrief with Ministry of Green Economy and Environment’s 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 Bank also commended the implementation of the new project – Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development in Zambia (TRALARD) which is being implemented in Luapula, Muchinga and Northern Provinces.
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.
“The project will close on a successful note as Government is assured that the Project Development Objective will be successfully met,” said Mr. Msimuko.
“The SCReBS Project has 12 Indictors, of which 9 are successfully achieved, however the other indicators could not be attained as they were beyond the project scope.”
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 also highlighted the progress that was being made under the TRALARD project in Muchinga, Luapula and Northern Provinces.
He expressed optimism that the TRALARD Project will transform people’s lives and contribute to mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
Mr. Msimuko 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 Hon. 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 return 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.
In the meantime, GGGI assured that it was ready to help Zambia with technical assistance that would kick start the process of developing a Green Growth Strategy, development engagement strategy for the Private Sector, Civil Society and Academia and most importantly the Financing Vehicle for Climate Change.
Zambia will, therefore, as a matter of urgency pursue GGGI’s offer of technical assistance to help commence the development of Green Growth Strategy.
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.
