ITALY APPROVES US$ 882, 822 FOR UPGRADE OF LUNDAZI GREEN VILLAGE-MAGODI SOLAR MINI-GRID PROJECT
LUSAKA, Thursday, 16th June, 2022 – The Government of Italy has approved US$ 882, 822 for the Lundazi Green Village-Magodi Solar Mini Grid Project in Eastern Province.
This came to light when the Zambian and Italian delegations led by Ministry of Green Economy and Environment Permanent Secretary Mr. John Msimuko and the Director General in the Directorate for European and International Activity of the Italian Ministry of Ecological Transition, Mr. Alessandro Modiano, held the second meeting of the Joint Committee under the Framework of the Zambia–Italy Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the Field of Climate Change.
Mr. Modiano said the upgrading of the Lundazi Green Village-Magodi Solar Mini Grid Project was a viable project and would be used as a model for replication and scaling up in other parts of Zambia.
Mr. Msimuko thanked the Italian Government for the approval of the Project that would immediately start receiving the finances for implementation.
“The Government of the republic of Zambia appreciates and holds the relationship with the Italian Government, and your ministry in particular, in very high esteem. We acknowledge that the Italian government has been an all-weather friend, whose friendship dates way back from Zambia’s pre-independence days and cuts across the political, economic and cultural spheres,” Mr. Msimuko said. “I, therefore, wish to reaffirm the new Government’s commitment to this relationship. We look forward to strengthening the bond between our two countries on cooperation on climate change and other areas of mutual benefit.”
Mr. Msimuko further said: “It is our expectation that after this meeting there will be no further delays and support for implementation of the Projects will start flowing so that we begin actualising the objectives of the Italy-Zambia MoU.”
Issued by
[Original copy signed]
Chibaula Silwamba (Mr.)
Communications Officer
MINISTRY OF GREEN ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT