By BRIAN HATYOKA –
THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has saluted the Patriotic Front (PF) Government for prioritising infrastructure development for inclusive growth.
UNDP resident coordinator Janet Rogan lauded the PF Government for prioritising large capital projects as a strategy for job creation, poverty reduction, and ultimately, inclusive economic growth.
Ms Rogan said Zambia was literally a construction site with huge ambitious investments such as the Link Zambia 8000 and others shaping up across the country.
She said this in a speech read for her by a representative Ian Milimo during the just ended Review of the Kazungula Bridge EIA Report and the development of the Joint Action Plan.
The conference, which had attracted delegates from Zimbabwe as well as Zambia and Botswana, also heard country and regional experiences on the status of integrating crosscutting issues (CCIs) particularly in health, human rights, HIV and gender.
Kazungula Bridge project is a joint venture that will be implemented by the Governments of Zambia and Botswana and it will be located at the confluence of Zambezi and Chobe Rivers.
“In the case of Zambia, the current Government has prioritised infrastructure development for inclusive growth.
“In this opportune context, the United Nations Joint Team in Zambia through UNDP have forged and consolidated a partnership between public, civil society and private developers to maximise high impact
interventions, aimed at the target of getting to zero infections for HIV/AIDS,” Ms Rogan said.
She said the UNDP looked forward to an HIV response that was sustainably imbedded in national and regional development cooperation frameworks and joint projects.
“The prevalence of HIV in our region remains unacceptably at high levels. There are many known drivers, but one relates particularly to the influx of workers associated with the construction and subsequent operation of large capital projects,” Ms Rogan said.
National Aids Council (NAC) Zambia Director General Jabin Mulwanda said HIV rates were higher in the transport corridors and hence there was need to mount appropriate resources to mitigate the disease.
Dr Mulwanda said there was need for all stakeholders to be proactive as opposed to being reactive in the fight against HIV/AIDS.