03 May 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY Official Launch of the Zambia Human Development Report 2016 You are cordially invited to attend and cover the below event: What: Launch of the Zambia Human Development Report 2016 Date: Wednesday, 04 May 2016 Time: 09:00 hrs – 11:00 hrs Venue: Mulungushi International Conference Centre Guest of Honor: Her Honor, Mrs. Inonge Wina, MP. Vice President, Republic of Zambia Editor’s note: The 2016 Zambia National Human Development Report (ZNHDR) entitled, “Industrialisation and Human Development: Poverty Reduction through Wealth and Employment Creation” speaks in particular to SDG 9 which aims “to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.” This report is about the human development outcomes of industrialisation. Its theme, Industrialisation and Poverty Reduction through Wealth and Employment Creation was inspired by the recognition that industrialisation offers unique opportunities for development, and that Zambia’s overall human development may well be shaped by the path of industrialisation that the country pursues. The purpose of the National Human Development Report is to generate debate, instigate change and catalyse action for national development. The Report is intended to contribute to the industrialisation debate in Zambia. It presents quantitative and qualitative data that define Zambia's current place on the industrialisation map. The Report notes that for industrialisation to be effective and sustainable, several other factors must support it. These include Development Plan, which will also include Zambia's national SDG targets.
For further information, please contact: Moses Zangar, Jr., UNDP Communications Officer Cell: +260 (0) 967 605 747, email:
[email protected] UNDP website: www.zm.undp.org
According to the report, to sustain growth rates, create wealth, and reduce poverty, Zambia has to transform the current structure of its economy and equally prioritise its manufacturing and agricultural sectors. These sectors have created productive employment at a much faster pace than mining, and are also sectors where the majority of the poor work. Thus, increasing productivity in these sectors is likely to lead to a path of inclusive development and poverty reduction. The Report argues that investing in local SMME technological capabilities, fostering deliberate Foreign Direct Investment and SMME linkages, and accelerating the implementation of local content policies in mining, manufacturing, and agriculture, can effectively transfer technology and integrate domestic firms into global value chains. Industrialisation plays a dominant role in the economic development of any country or region. It can also diversify the economy and increase productivity and labour while helping the private sector to increase and sustain economic output through value creation. It can generate direct or indirect employment if there are strong forward and backward linkages with other sectors of the economy to ensure that growth translates into sustainable development. Zambia has already reached a number of milestones in human development, highlighted by the fact that between 1980 and 2014, Zambia's Human Development Index (HDI) value increased from 0.418 to 0.586, an increase of 40.1 percent which put the country in the medium human development category. The Government of Zambia is committed to industrialisation, viewing it as an important vehicle for improving the welfare of Zambians
For further information, please contact: Moses Zangar, Jr., UNDP Communications Officer Cell: +260 (0) 967 605 747, email:
[email protected] UNDP website: www.zm.undp.org
