The Government says the country is making progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Speaking during the United Nations Global Sustainable transport conference in Turkmenistan, Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba said the government is working towards the provision of a sustainable transport systems for all Zambians with improved road safety features.
“In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we need to build resilient and modern systems to ensure among others, the provision of sustainable transport networks for all with improved road safety features,” he said.
The minister added that the government has enhanced road safety education and will install technological devices to help control reckless behavior on the roads in a bid to reduce the number of fatal road accidents in the country.
Mr Mushimba said that the government will be putting in place policies to promote the use of rail to transport bulk heavy goods as means of decongesting the roads and making them safer.
“With regards to other modes of transport, Zambia is revamping railway transport to ensure that bulk heavy goods are transported on this mode. In addition, Greenfield railway spurs are high on the agenda to further link Zambia to the Eastern and Western ports of Africa.
In aviation, Zambia has commenced the modernization and upgrading of airport infrastructure for international airports, provincial and selected district aerodromes,” he said.
The Global Sustainable Transport conference was officially opened by United Nations (UN) secretary general Ban Ki-Moon who called on all UN member countries to work towards achieving sustainable development goals whose aspirations are to improve the lives of people across the world.
Zambia is being represented by Transport and Communications minister Brian Mushimba who is also the chairperson for the Global Bureau of Landlocked Developing Countries which constitutes 32 member countries across the globe including Zambia.
Representatives from the transport sector in Zambia including the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), Zambia Railways, National Road Fund Agency (NRFA), Civil Aviation Authority and Tanzania – Zambia Railway Authority among the delegation from Zambia to attend the first ever Global Sustainable Transport conference covering all modes of transport.
But when are you going to fix the Solwezi-Chingola road. You are busy constructing roads in areas which are not adding economic value to Zambia and yet you have neglected the economic blood vessel of Zambia..What kind of thinking is that. When people complain, you label them as tribal, backward and call them all sorts of names.
Just look at that blind spot on that bridge and this is a road used by cyclists with no dedicated lane.
Nsakwa the trucks damage the road so we are told…but then why cant they build that can take the weight of trucks laden with copper? Tenderprenuers they call themselves common kabolalas … 2021 Zambia Forward Under new leadership
This is a road leading to no -where. Instead, you should have constructed a dual carriage from Livingstone to Chingola, PF fools.
Does control of reckless behaviors extend to that of presidential vehicles travelling to and from the airport at high speeds? Those shiny jeeps would not come of well in any collision with other road users!
Very hypocritical of politicians to talk of road safety, while ignoring road safety rules themselves.