GERMANY GIVES ZAMBIA K30M COVID-19 RELIEF SUPPORT

GERMANY has given Zambia K30 million for Covid-19 relief emergency support project towards the Zambian component of the Kavango Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area.

Annie Wagner Mitchell, the German Ambassador to Zambia, said the tourism sector had been hit hard by the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Wagner-Mitchell explained that the K30 million support was part of the broader support by Germany government to the KAZA project which was aimed at bringing relief to communities, tourism sector and management of protecting tourism areas.

The envoy said project has two major components community life taking up 70 percent of funds and biodiversity conservation getting the remaining 30 percent.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Arts Minister, Ronald Chitotela, said that the funds were aimed at bringing relief to local communities, the tourism sector and management of protected areas.

Mr Chitotela said the protected areas are in the respective components of TFCA where Zambia contributes approximately 25 per cent of the 520,000 kilometre squared landscape.

He said the funds would enable his ministery implement a two tier Covid-19 relief project, comprising support efforts towards community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in Kafue, Mosi-oa-Tunya and Sioma Ngwezi national parks.

The minister said that another 10 game management areas would benefit adding that the grant shall provide relief to affected communities and households that depended on conservation and for their livelihood.

And WWF country director, Nachilala Nkombo, said that the outbreak of Covid-19 resulted in global travel restrictions which has had a devastating effect on tourism and the communities that depend on tourism.