India has joined other countries and international development partners in helping Zambia mitigate the drought crisis and growing hunger in affected parts of the country.
Indian High Commissioner to Zambia, Ashok Kumar, says his government will extend food support to Zambia to help cushion the impact of the drought, which has left widespread hunger across the country.
“India acknowledges the challenges currently being faced by Zambia, particularly on the economic front largely due to its high external debt and the ongoing widespread and prolonged drought. India remains committed to helping Zambia to overcome this crisis,” said Kumar.
Speaking during the commemoration of India’s 78th Independence in Lusaka, the Indian envoy said his government fully supports Zambia’s resilience and is committed to assisting the country bring back its economy on the reels of development.
He said, “India acknowledges the various policy initiatives of the government of Zambia under the leadership of his excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema in its pursuit of economic development.”
Kumar said India is optimistic about engaging with Zambia to explore areas of cooperation in agriculture, mining, health, and education to enhance economic development.
India’s response comes just a few weeks after the Zambian government sought that country’s assistance to address the ongoing hydroelectric power shortage and support the transition to clean energy.
In the race to transition its energy portfolio, Zambia is looking to Indian energy equipment manufacturers and industry experts to set up manufacturing plants for solar panels, batteries, inverters, and other renewable energy accessories in Zambia.
India joins Burundi and Rwanda, who recently delivered food relief to Zambia of 5,000 and 1,000 metric tons respectively as aid response, while the United States has provided US$66.8 million through USAID to address the drought, build food security, and climate resilience.
Last month, the World Bank approved a US$208 million grant for Zambia to help address the social and economic impact of the drought. The grant is specifically intended to help Zambia effectively respond to the drought impact through the provision of additional temporary cash payments to affected households.
“Specifically, it will support over 1.6 million households across 84 drought-impacted districts with emergency cash assistance over a 12-month period,” the Ministry of Finance and National Planning said in a statement.
Zambia is among the Southern African nations experiencing the worst drought in decades as a result of El Nino weather phenomenon.
