UNDP Hails Country Over Climate Change

19 May 2011

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has hailed the Zambian Government for mainstreaming climate change in the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP).

The UNDP has also noted that the number of international tourists in Zambia has increased by about 400 per cent from 163,000 arrivals in 1995 to 815,000 in 2010.

UNDP country representative Viola Morgan said in Lusaka at the 5th African Conference of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism that the issue of climate change was significant on all development and human endeavours.

“Here I take the opportunity to applaud the Government’s efforts and for addressing this important phenomenon in its Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) and for developing a national climate change response strategy.

“We are witnessing a growing consensus that climate change is not just a meteorological or environmental concern related to science and experts, but a multifaceted issue cutting across several aspects of human life support systems such as agriculture, water, forestry, industry, health and tourism,” he said.

She said climate change required awareness and urgent attention.

Ms Morgan said tourism was an important sector for the Zambian economy.

“From 1997 to 2008, international tourists averaged 5.4 per cent of total exports. Furthermore, the tourism sector has been expanding.

“For instance, the number of international tourists in Zambia increased quite impressively by about 400 per cent, from 163,000 arrivals in 1995 to 815,000 in 2010,” she said.

She said the revenues from the international tourists as a result of the increase had risen from US$29 million in 1997 to US$ 212 million in 2009.

“What the numbers tell us is that tourism represents a very positive economic stimulus for the rest of the economy, through its direct linkages with the transport and hospitality industries and indirect linkages with agriculture.

“Tourism is a very labour intensive industry which provides many jobs in particular for women who depend on the sector for services,” she said.

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