Zambia committed to increased power generation

ACCELERATED Energy investment will see Zambia increase its power generation capacity and expand its energy mix with renewable energy, says Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Muhabi Lungu.

Delivering Zambia’s statement at the ongoing 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76), Mr Lungu said Government was committed to enhancing cooperation with its development partners to realize the ambition of making energy affordable to all citizens.

He said the New Dawn Government of President Hakainde Hichilema is determined to make energy affordable, reliable and sustainable so that Zambians can have easy access to both hydro and solar generated power.

Mr Lungu said Government has put in place a conducive policy environment that will attract private investment in power generation, transmission, distribution and retail.

He said energy was one of the key enablers for economic growth and sustainable development apart from being critical to speedy economic recovery and meeting the goal of net zero carbon emission by 2030.

Mr Lungu also informed the assembly that Zambia has so far streamlined 75 percent of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its 7th National Development Plan and incorporated them in the 8th National Development Plan, which will run from 2022 to 2027.

He said that Zambia had recorded milestones in some sectors of the economy such as education, health, gender and energy despite the challenges the country has been facing in its development agenda.

In order to stimulate global economic recovery, Mr Lungu said, multilateral initiatives such as the World Health Organisation and partner institutions’ need global efforts to make available safe and effective vaccines, especially to the most vulnerable countries such as least developed countries.