Stockholm, Sweden. 27th May 2015—The Swedish government, one of Zambia’s closest development allies has unblocked up to 400 million Swedish Kroners (sek), which amounts to about US$47,3million meant for improving the Zambian health sector.
The money must be directed towards projects that will reduce the number or deaths among babies and mothers, including tackling other reproductive health challenges.
The release of the money ends a six-year old dry spell of health aid freeze by Sweden to Zambia after the Nordic country raised concerns regarding financial misapplication, a situation which has changed and revived the corporating partner’s hopes that, under President Edgar Lungu, the aid will go towards saving babies and mothers, as intended by the donor country.
Under the agreement, Zambia shall receive an initial 69 million sek, for the programme that will run for a four year period starting from 2015-2019.
The assistance from the Swedish government is being extended to Zambia jointly with the Department for International Development (DFID), the development arm of the United Kingdom, as more Donor countries resume, or boost assistance to Zambia following President Lungu’s popular poll on 20th January 2015.
The Swedish pack in the assistance is 400million sek, money which will compliment well, existing Zambian health funded projects and reduce mortality rates among mothers and babies significantly, in line with the President Lungu campaign promises.
The support will focus on reproductive, maternal, neo-natal, child and adolescent health.
Sweden is currently “reviewing various assessments” to ensure that the aid works well for both Zambia and themselves as a key partner.
A Swedish government team will soon travel to Lusaka to discuss with relevant ministries, how to complete the finance process and ensure procurement and other issues are properly in place and acceptable to both partner countries for finalisation.
Background
Zambia’s health aid from Sweden dipped to an all-time low in 2009 following misapplication of funds in the middle of a five-year agreement (2006-10) for the health sector with the government worth about half a billion SEK (or the equivalent in Kwacha).
The unfortunate development threw the Swedish programme into disarray and funds disbursed were halted for the next following two and half years.
With the renewed vigour to fight corruption under the new leadership of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Sweden-Zambia relations are brightening up yet again and ostensibly rising to a new high.
President Lungu has recently met face to face, the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven at the African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the two discussed further corporation and possible state visits to boost the two countries 50 year old ties.
The release of this huge chunk of money for health is being seen by pundits as a clear show of confidence that “on President Lungu’s watch,” tax-payers money, local or aid related, shall not be misapplied.”
On Tuesday, 26th May 2015, President Edgar Lungu, in yet another public show of commitment towards fighting graft held a high-level State House meeting with the entire board of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to discuss the scourge of corruption.
Roswin Wandi, the ACC Director General, and Chairperson Judge Timothy Kabalata attended the high level meeting.
Mr Amos Chanda, President Lungu’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations said the meeting, he too attended discussed a “wide range of issues aimed at improving strategies and policies to fight corruption.”
Mr Chanda said President Lungu’s resolve to fight corruption and sectional interests in Zambia has not and will not slow down under his leadership as he detests interests groups benefitting at the expense of the majority of Zambians.
Mr Chanda said President Lungu campaigned on the platform of dismantling cartels and special interests that deprived the majority and that direction has not changed.
Zambia and Sweden enjoy extremely warm relations and have corporated in various fields for 50 years now. Unblocking of the support ostensibly signifies the upping of the tempo in the relations of the two countries. Sweden is in the Top Five countries with the highest quality of life in the whole world, especially in health according to the influential OECD or Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development, which measures standards of quality of living scientifically.