Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
A three days international conference on Energy has officially opened in Lusaka.
The conference dubbed Zambia International Energy Conference (ZIEC), which has attracted 200 delegates, is being held under the theme: ‘Power and Renewable Energy: Unlocking Zambia’s Investment and Growth Potential at 50’.
Speaking during the official opening of the conference Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister Charles Zulu expressed happiness that the conference has come at a time that access to electricity in Zambia is still low with only 25 percent of the country’s population having access to it.
Mr. Zulu says it is therefore gratifying to note that the prime objective of the conference is to establish avenues of unlocking the energy sector for new financing and investment.
He states that it is thus his hope that the outcome of the conference will ultimately contribute towards increasing energy access levels in Zambia, overcome the current power deficit being faced locally and within the region as well as fostering economic development.
Mr Zulu further notes that the objective of the three days international conference are in tandem with aspiration of the 2008 National Energy Policy (NEP) which sets out government’s intention of ensuring that the energy sector’s potential to drive economic growth and help reduce poverty is realized.
Speaking earlier, Stanbic Bank Chief Executive Charles Mudiwa said his bank’s decision to partner with the Zambian government to host the international conference is in response to the government’s challenge that the banking sector plays a meaningful role in financing more energy projects.
Mr. Mudiwa notes that Zambia being one the fastest growing economies of the sub Saharan African, is well positioned to tap into its abundant energy resources for sustained economic development.