503 NGOs registered under NGO Act as of September 2015

Government has disclosed that a total of 503 NGOs were registered as at 30th September, 2015 under the NGO Act number 16 of 2009.

Community Development Minister Emerine Kabanshi says of those registered 387 are local NGOs and 115 are international NGOs.

Speaking when she met Italian NGOs at Casa Portico in Lusaka today, Ms. Kabanshi says government recognizes the important role NGOs play in complementing its efforts in improving the quality of life of the majority of Zambians especially the less privileged in society.

She says in order to enhance its collaboration with NGOs, Government will continue to develop and support policies that aim at improving coordination of NGO activities to reduce duplication of efforts and ensure accountability and equitable distribution of resources.

Ms. Kabanshi says government has committed itself to facilitating the process of reviewing the NGO Act number 16 of 2009 through stakeholders’ engagement in a bid to enhance Civil Society participation in development.

Ms. Kabanshi has since called on other embassies to emulate what the Italian ambassador is doing so that government can engage them at the higher level and ensure that they take stock of activities as a way of ensuring accountability and transparency in line with the NGO act.

And Italy Ambassador Filippo Scammacca has praised government for the support it is rendering to Italian NGOs.

He has since urged the Italian NGOs to continue supplementing government’s efforts.

And EU Head of Delegation Alessandro Mariani says he is happy to note that the Italian NGOs have been very dependable in all the sectors in the country.