Zambia
PermTaenxe:n (t2 M12is)s 8io8n8 -o5f7 Z7a0mbia to the United Nations, 237 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022
Fax: (212) 888-5213
E-mail: zambia@un.int
REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
STATEMENT
BY
HON. SYLVIA T. MASEBO, MP
MINISTER OF LOCAL GZOAVMEBRINAMENT AND HOUSING
SANI'TMAETEIOTNIN AGN TDH HEU MMDAGNs SREETLTALTEEMDE TNOT WS ATTAREGR,ETS"
ON THE OCCASION OF THE
13TH SDEESSVIEOLNO OPMF ETNHTE OCOF MTHMEIS USINOINT EODN N SAUTSTIOANINSABLE
NEW YORK, USA
20TH APRIL, 2005
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
I
Chairperson,
Zambia wishes to associate itself with the views presented by Ghana
on behalf of the African Group and Jamaica on behalf of the Group
of 77 and China.
Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman,
for the manner in which you are conducting the deliberations.
Chairperson,
Zambia is one of the most highly urbanized countries in Africa with
more than 50% of the population living in urban areas. We are
therefore already faced with the challenges of rapid urbanization. We
however take solace from the fact that the challenges we face are
recognized internationally, hence, the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and fora such as this one which are aimed at meeting
the challenges of rapid urbanization globally.
However, reports by experts indicate that most countries in the
developing world, Zambia included, will not attain the Millennium
Development Goals. The reason for the failure is not for lack of
2
trying or lack of political will but as a result of inadequate local
financial resources and capacities.
Chairperson
On our own and relying heavily on domestic resources and prudent
management, we have attained the HIPC completion point. Let me
also take this opportunity to thank our cooperating partners who
have since started canceling our debt. We have also created an
enabling environment by formulating of policies for good
governance and taken measures to facilitate sustainable delivery of
services. For example, we already have in place policies on
decentralization and housing, and a sanitation policy is in the offing.
Chairperson,
Much as we appreciate the MDGs and we are committed to attaining
them, we do not fail to observe that whereas MDGS have goals and
targets and a time-frame, there is no target and time-frame for
availability of new and additional resources as agreed upon by the
international community at the Habitat Summit in Istanbul in 1996. It
is imperative that targets are set and a time-frame given for the
availability of new and additional resources to correspond with the
targets and timeframe for MDGs.
3
Chairperson,
We welcome the growing realization that MDGs cannot be attained
without an enabling environment at the international and national
levels. We support individuals and institutions that are sensitizing the
international community on this matter. We also appreciate initiatives
that are already in place which are a manifestation of the realization
of the need to create an enabling environment. We therefore support
initiatives such as: (i) the African Water Facility and Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation Initiative under the African Development
Bank, (ii) Water and Sanitation Trust Fund and Water for African
Cities Programme under the UN-HABITAT, and (iii) Cities without
Slums Programme and the Slum Upgrading Facility under UNHABITAT.
It is our sincere hope, as Zambia, that this session will send a clear
message to the Heads of States Summit in September 2005 that the
attainment of MDGs is tied to an enabling environment at the
international and national levels; that MDGs are tenable but for lack
of financial resources; and that targets for the release of 0.7% of
GDP for ODA be clearly defined and time-bound.
I Thank You Chairperson.
Fax: (212) 888-5213
E-mail: zambia@un.int
REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
STATEMENT
BY
HON. SYLVIA T. MASEBO, MP
MINISTER OF LOCAL GZOAVMEBRINAMENT AND HOUSING
SANI'TMAETEIOTNIN AGN TDH HEU MMDAGNs SREETLTALTEEMDE TNOT WS ATTAREGR,ETS"
ON THE OCCASION OF THE
13TH SDEESSVIEOLNO OPMF ETNHTE OCOF MTHMEIS USINOINT EODN N SAUTSTIOANINSABLE
NEW YORK, USA
20TH APRIL, 2005
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
I
Chairperson,
Zambia wishes to associate itself with the views presented by Ghana
on behalf of the African Group and Jamaica on behalf of the Group
of 77 and China.
Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman,
for the manner in which you are conducting the deliberations.
Chairperson,
Zambia is one of the most highly urbanized countries in Africa with
more than 50% of the population living in urban areas. We are
therefore already faced with the challenges of rapid urbanization. We
however take solace from the fact that the challenges we face are
recognized internationally, hence, the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and fora such as this one which are aimed at meeting
the challenges of rapid urbanization globally.
However, reports by experts indicate that most countries in the
developing world, Zambia included, will not attain the Millennium
Development Goals. The reason for the failure is not for lack of
2
trying or lack of political will but as a result of inadequate local
financial resources and capacities.
Chairperson
On our own and relying heavily on domestic resources and prudent
management, we have attained the HIPC completion point. Let me
also take this opportunity to thank our cooperating partners who
have since started canceling our debt. We have also created an
enabling environment by formulating of policies for good
governance and taken measures to facilitate sustainable delivery of
services. For example, we already have in place policies on
decentralization and housing, and a sanitation policy is in the offing.
Chairperson,
Much as we appreciate the MDGs and we are committed to attaining
them, we do not fail to observe that whereas MDGS have goals and
targets and a time-frame, there is no target and time-frame for
availability of new and additional resources as agreed upon by the
international community at the Habitat Summit in Istanbul in 1996. It
is imperative that targets are set and a time-frame given for the
availability of new and additional resources to correspond with the
targets and timeframe for MDGs.
3
Chairperson,
We welcome the growing realization that MDGs cannot be attained
without an enabling environment at the international and national
levels. We support individuals and institutions that are sensitizing the
international community on this matter. We also appreciate initiatives
that are already in place which are a manifestation of the realization
of the need to create an enabling environment. We therefore support
initiatives such as: (i) the African Water Facility and Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation Initiative under the African Development
Bank, (ii) Water and Sanitation Trust Fund and Water for African
Cities Programme under the UN-HABITAT, and (iii) Cities without
Slums Programme and the Slum Upgrading Facility under UNHABITAT.
It is our sincere hope, as Zambia, that this session will send a clear
message to the Heads of States Summit in September 2005 that the
attainment of MDGs is tied to an enabling environment at the
international and national levels; that MDGs are tenable but for lack
of financial resources; and that targets for the release of 0.7% of
GDP for ODA be clearly defined and time-bound.
I Thank You Chairperson.
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