. Chabala

CHARITY MOONGA –
ZAMBIA is determined to improve its infrastructure to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, a joint United Nations (UN) General Assembly and ECOSOC thematic debate on partnerships has heard.
Finance Ministry director of national planning Chola Chabala   told the meeting that the Zambian Government was keen to partner with the private sector to improve infrastructure in various sectors.
The meeting was focusing on the role of implementing partnerships in the post-2015 development agenda, and looked at scaling up partnership opportunities in sustainable infrastructure.
“The current Government’s number one priority is road construction. To make sure there is equitable distribution of public goods and services, the Government launched a very ambitious programme called Link Zambia 8000, which will go towards investing massively into road infrastructure projects, particularly for rural areas in all the 10 provinces,” Mr Chabala said.
This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations    at Zambia’s Permanent Mission  to the UN, Chibaula Silwamba.
Mr Chabala said another project, the Pave Zambia 2000, would accelerate infrastructure development and help youths find employment in the road construction sector.
President Michael Sata launched the Link Zambia 8,000 project aimed at rehabilitating and constructing the road network to open up the country.
Under the Link Zambia 8000 Project, the Government envisions to construct about 8000 kilometres of high quality single and dual lane roads throughout the country.
The Pave Zambia 2000 is intended to improve urban and township roads countrywide.
Mr Chabala said Zambia had also put in place the fuel levy, which generated funds for road maintenance.
He said toll gates were being constructed to generate funds for building and maintaining roads.
Zambia,  Mr Chabala said, was improving infrastructure to ensure that Information and Communication Technology contributes to national development.
Economic counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Zambia to the UN, Theresa Chanda, accompanied Mr Chabala to the high-level meeting.
UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Gyan Chandra Acharya moderated the meeting.