Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin
The World Food Programme (WFP) has expressed sincere gratitude to President Edgar Lungu and the Zambian Government for granting WFP an exemption to export maize for use in its humanitarian operations.
WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin has also said the election of President Lungu presents an opportunity for the WFP to continue working with the Zambian Government towards achieving Zero Hunger in Zambia.
Ms Cousin has called for further support from the Zambian Government to urgently accelerate and streamline maize export procedures for the organisation’s humanitarian operations, given the increasing severity of the El Nino drought crisis, which will only worsen much earlier than normal.
She has acknowledged that Southern Africa is facing the worst drought in 35 years, with five countries in the region having declared national drought disasters, followed by a Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Drought Disaster Declaration.
The WFP Executive Director has emphasized that this food is vital to the lives of millions of people, especially women and children, in neighboring countries in particular Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
In a congratulatory message to President Lungu, she commended the Zambian farmers and the Government’s stewardship of the agricultural sector which has established Zambia as a grain basket for Southern Africa, and as a main source of humanitarian food assistance in the region.
Ms Cousin states that she fully appreciates the high demand for maize in the region has obliged the Zambian Government to introduce measures aimed at controlling exports to ensure Zambia’s food security, and that the country itself has not been spared from the drought. “Notwithstanding, You are providing assistance to neighboring countries, a point that l personally have widely and publicly acknowledged.”
Ms Cousin has called for the urgent operationalisation of the Sub-committee on Humanitarian Logistics established through discussions between WFP Zambian Office, the Disaster Mitigation and Management Unit (DMMU) and the Inter-Agency Ministerial Committee on Food Security adding that this is urgently required to facilitate a fast and streamlined export permit process for the organisation’s cross-border trucking operations.
She notes the slow pace at which the WFP food deliveries have been moving to neighbouring countries for a number of weeks describing this as a detriment to the governments and communities who are expecting a rapid response.
The WFP Executive Director further says her organisation looks forward to supporting the President’s goal to diversify the country’s agricultural sector as Zambia’s engine for its broader economic prosperity.
And First Quantum Minerals Limited has pledged continued commitment and closer collaboration with the Zambian Government.
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Philip Pascall says First Quantum Minerals has continued its commitment to Zambia as shown by the organisation’s promotion of commerce and trade.
Mr Pascall says this promotion is evident in the company’s planned creation of a Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) aimed at promote wealth generation, diversification and job creation in local communities in which First Quantum operates.
In a congratulatory message to President Lungu, Mr Pascall says First Quantum is delighted that the President has been given the mandate to continue his development and investment agenda.
Meanwhile, Save the Children International Zambia has also pledged to work closely with President Lungu and the Zambian Government to realise the country’s development agenda including the full realisation of children’s rights.
Country Director Tamer Kirolos in a message of congratulations to President Lungu said his organisation believes that every child deserves the best chance for a bright future hence its unequivocal commitment to ensuring children not only survive, but also thrive.
This is contained in a statement made available to QFM news today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda.