By SYLVESTER MWALE –
ZAMBIA is reviewing its energy sector to embrace alternative energy sources to help mitigate and prevent the devastating impact of climate change, President Edgar Lungu has said.
Mr Lungu has also expressed gratitude to France for its dedication to finding solutions towards the impact of climate change in Zambia.
The President was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when French Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Minister Segolene Royal paid a courtesy call on him at State House.
He said Zambia had witnessed serious impact of climate change in that some areas experienced more than enough rains while others had little rainfall.
The President said the priority of his Government was to ensure production was increased by using reliable and environmentally friendly sources of energy.
“Right now we are taking a second look at the energy sector, and we are already talking about solar energy. I am grateful because we have been visited by a group of French companies.
“We did talk to them and we are still doing that, trying to see how we can run away from the effects of climate change probably go solar in generating the majority of our power,” Mr Lungu said.
He noted that the country was currently depending on  importation of petroleum products hence the need to explore other sources of energy such as fossil fuels to mitigate the impact of climate change.
“As you know Zambia is a vast country full of unexploited land, forestry and I think abundant labour too, so at the end of the day, with cheap energy, we can easily get our people to produce more using ecologic methods,” he said.
Ms Royal said Africa was a victim of global warming and her country had joined efforts of finding the solution to the problem of climate change.
“Mr President, Africa is a victim of global warming and we have to find ways in your country and Africa in finding solutions and transfer of technology and development to reduce the impact of climate change,” she said.
There was need to continue mobilising finances under the Green Climate Fund agreed in Copenhagen in Denmark which was aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change.
“We have to mobilise international finance, the green fund and the US$100 billion promised in Copenhagen and to finance projects that will help, that’s why I am here,” she said.
Meanwhile, President Lungu says he is doing his best to make the Patriotic Front (PF) into a more formidable party, devoid of violence.
President Lungu said he was concerned that the culture of violence had continued to take centre stage whenever there were elections.
Mr Lungu said this when former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa paid a courtesy call on him at State House yesterday.
Mr Lungu has also reiterated his call on politicians to accept election results when they lose.
During the same meeting, President Lungu disclosed that plans to resuscitate the country’s national airline have advanced.
He said it was unacceptable to connect to Europe when one is travelling to West Africa, for instance, and stressed the need for regional integration.
Mr Mkapa is in the country at the invitation of First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda, from whom he has taken over as Cavendish University Chancellor.
The former Tanzanian President hailed the warm neighbourly relations with Zambia.
Mr Mkapa also praised the people of Zambia for conducting themselves peacefully during the January 2015 presidential election, saying Tanzania hopes to take the same path when it goes to the polls in October this year.