Minister of National Development Planning Honourable Alexander Chiteme, MP, has called for preservation of natural resources to maximise the value and benefits from them.
Mr. Chiteme was delivering a keynote speech at the World Bank’s eighth Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystems Services (WAVES) Annual Partnership Meeting in Paris, France on Wednesday.
Mr. Chiteme thanked the World Bank for initiating the WAVES Programme, which will enable countries account for their natural resources.
“We joined the WAVES programme voluntarily and we are making a lot of progress. We are now learning how to appreciate our natural resources,” Mr. Chiteme said. “Zambia is a low-income country, but we have a lot of land, a lot of forests, water, and a lot of other natural resources, and biodiversity. Our question has always been: how are we going to harness our resources? How are we going to put our figure to our resources? Fortunately, the World Bank Started this programme, which is helping us answer these questions and move forward.”
The Minister regretted that Zambia has been a mono economy, depending on copper, for a long time despite having numerous resources.
“We are a copper producing country and it’s the only resource that has been predominantly supporting our export earnings. I, therefore, want to thank the World Bank for this initiative; when we joined we said we want to account for our natural resources,” said Mr. Chiteme.
WAVES Global Partnership brings together WAVES partners from developed and developing countries, high-level government officials, United Nations agencies, academics, and experts from think tanks and non-governmental organizations at its Annual Partnership Meeting (APM).
You just went there to thank the World Bank? They want to hear how you are going to add value and convert natural resources into sustainable income generation. All I hear is praises to a white man. We are independent now we are not in 1963.
You just commented to please the little TONGA god and the TRIBAL H-organisation.
Does our honourable minister know what the World Bank is thinking, at least I know they are saying this guy is dull how does he think we can teach him to manage his resources when we want it ourselves so that he remains our captive.
Mr minister how do you think some other business man can teach you how to be smart to deny him access to your loop holes.