Press Tour on Japan’s Development Cooperations in Zambia
2018/3/16
Ambassador Sobashima answering an interview
The Embassy of Japan hosted a Press Tour in Western Province for the local media on 1st and 2nd March 2018, in which 8 reporters and camera crew from 5 companies participated. The tour aims to create the opportunities for the media to cover development cooperation by Japan and strengthen Japan’s public information activities vis-à-vis the Government officials, intellectuals and the people in Zambia at large.
The group of the media and the delegation of the Embassy of Japan visited Kaoma District, about 400km from Lusaka. They visited the project sites of “Protection and Assistance to Refugees and Other Persons of Concern in Zambia”, and attended a handover ceremony of the Project for the Construction of a Water Supply System in Mangango, Kaoma District, Western Province implemented with the funds provided by the scheme of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project by the Government of Japan
On 1st March, in the refugee settlement area in Mayukwayukwa, the Embassy officials and the media visited 2 primary schools, a clinic and a health post constructed by UNHCR with the funds made available by the Japanese supplementary budget in its fiscal year 2015 and the media interviewed refugees and former refugees. In Zambia, the Government of Japan has been expending funds to UNHCR and other UN Agencies since 2012 to support refugees and former refugees in Mayukwayukwa and in Meheba, North western Province in cooperation with other donors. The media learned about Japan’s support for the efforts of Zambia to contribute to the peace and stability of Sub-Saharan Africa through accepting refugees and resettling former refugees.
| Inspection of Jacob Mphepo Primary School | Pupils of Jacob Mphepo Primary School |
| Interviewing refugee | Briefing on Shibanga Clinic by UNHCR staff |
On 2nd March, the handover ceremony of the Project for the Construction of a Water Supply System in Mangango, Kaoma District, Western Province took place.
In Mangango Area, the majority of people depended on the Luena River for their living, which compelled the people to spend a lot of their time and labor in collecting water, making them susceptible to such diseases as diarrhoea and various infections. Hence, Village Water Zambia constructed the Water Supply System with the funds from Japan. Trained villagers briefed the participants of the ceremony on the system. In the ceremony, the representative of the community thanked the Government of Japan adding that the system is easy to maintain and would reduce the patients of water-borne diseases.
To see the details, click here.
| Visitors briefed on the Water Supply System | Visitors briefed on the Water Supply System |
| Ribbon cutting of the Water Supply System | Speech by Assistance Secretary of Western Province |
This tour resulted in a number of media reports. It seems that this tour helped the Zambian people deepen their understanding of the Japanese development cooperation, which has been implemented not only around Lusaka but also in rural areas, and has been contributing to the lives of the people as well as economic development.
Related Links（External websites）
1．Online articles after Press Tour
(1)Lusaka Times：The Government of Japan announces contribution of US$1 million to UNHCR in Zambia (2nd March 2018)
https://www.lusakatimes.com/2018/03/02/government-japan-announces-contribution-us1-million-unhcr-zambia/
(2)Times of Zambia：K1.8m Mangango water project complete (5th March 2018)
http://www.times.co.zm/?p=103348
2．News articles by major newspapers after Press Tour
(1)Daily Mail: Refugees get $1m Japan aid (PDF，3rd March 2018)
(2)Daily Nation: JAPAN PLEDGES MORE FUNDS TOWARDS REFUGEES (PDF, 3rd March 2018)