SPEECH FOR H.E THE PRESIDENT, Mr HAKAINDE HICHILEMA AT THE ZRCS 2023 GALA DINNER

• THE SECRETARY TO THE CABINET – MR KANGWA
• MINISTERS HERE PRESENT
• THE IFRC HEAD OF AFRICA REGION – MR MOHAMMED MUKHIER
• THE IFRC HEAD OF DELEGATION FOR ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE & MALAWI- MR. JOHN ROCHE
• THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY – MR FRACKSON NGOSA

• THE ACTING SECETARY GENERAL – MR COSMAS SAKALA

• THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT OF ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

• MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND OTHER COOPERATING PARTNERS;

• THE PERMANENT SECRETARIES  AND SENIOUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HERE PRESENT

• DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

• MEMBERS OF THE PRESS

• LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AT THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS HUMANITARIAN GALA DINNER. THE THEME FOR THIS EVENT, “HUMANITARIAN ACTION FOR LIFE-SAVING IMPACT,” TRULY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF OUR GATHERING THIS EVENING . IT SERVES AS A POTENT REMINDER OF THE CRITICAL HUMANITARIAN ISSUES THAT DEMAND OUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND THE URGENCY WITH WHICH WE MUST RESPOND. AS WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, AND INDEED WITHIN OUR OWN NATION, WE SEE ESCALATING CRISES THAT DEMAND CONCERTED EFFORTS AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING. TONIGHT, WE COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE PRESSING ISSUES THAT REQUIRE OUR COLLECTIVE ATTENTION AND ACTION.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

HUMANITARIAN CRISES CONTINUE TO POSE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY, AND ZAMBIA IS NOT IMMUNE TO THESE CHALLENGES. IN RECENT YEARS, ZAMBIA HAS FACED SIGNIFICANT HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES, FROM NATURAL DISASTERS TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES, AND BEYOND. THE IMPACT OF THESE CRISES HAS BEEN SERIOUS, AFFECTING THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES EFFECTIVELY AND TO ENSURE THAT ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING SUPPORT REACHES THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. AS WE STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS SET OUT IN ZAMBIA’S 8TH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ADDRESS THE HUMANITARIAN ISSUES THAT THREATEN OUR PROGRESS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE THE PLIGHT OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY, AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND. AS WE REFLECT UPON THE REMARKABLE STRIDES MADE UNDER ZAMBIA’S 8TH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH WAS CRAFTED WITH THE COLLECTIVE VISION OF OUR PEOPLE, THIS TRANSFORMATIVE PLAN UNDERSCORES OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. EMPHASIZING INCLUSIVITY, WE HAVE ENDEAVORED TO UPLIFT THE LIVES OF ALL ZAMBIANS BY INVESTING IN KEY SECTORS SUCH AS EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

GOVERNMENT’S ASPIRATIONS TO PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR CATALYSING THE NATION’S RESPONSE TO ADDRESSING THE DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES OVER THE 2022-2026 PERIOD IN THE QUEST TO ATTAIN THE VISION 2030, SDGS AND OTHER REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. FOR US TO ENHANCE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL STRENGTHEN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, ENHANCE EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS FOR TIMELY ACTION AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO BUILD BACK BETTER IN RECOVERY

THE NEW DAWN ADMINISTRATION AIMS AT BUILDING A NATION WHERE OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR EVERY CITIZEN, LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND. THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND A FOCUS ON INNOVATION, WE ARE NOT MERELY DEVELOPING INFRASTRUCTURE; WE ARE BUILDING BRIDGES THAT CONNECT COMMUNITIES, FOSTERING A SPIRIT OF UNITY THAT RESONATES FROM THE BUSTLING URBAN CENTERS TO THE SERENE RURAL LANDSCAPES. WE AR COGNIZANT THAT OUR JOURNEY TOWARD A BRIGHTER, MORE EQUITABLE ZAMBIA IS A COLLECTIVE ENDEAVOR THAT TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES AND EMBRACES THE SHARED HUMANITY THAT UNITES US ALL.

MORESO, THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR US TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES COMPREHENSIVELY. AS A NATION, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND IN OUR PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS COMMITMENT MUST BE UPHELD IN OUR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS. WE MUST PRIORITIZE THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY – INCLUDING WOMEN, CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES – AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

OUR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS MUST BE ROOTED IN PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION. PARTNERSHIPS AND CONCENTRATED EFFORTS ARE ESSENTIAL IN MOBILIZING LOCAL RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL HUMANITARIAN ISSUES FACING OUR NATION. THE SPACE FOR FOREIGN HUMANITARIAN AID IS SHRINKING AMIDIST INCREASING GLOBAL AND LOCAL CHALLENGES. THIS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR STRENGTHENED LOCAL RECOURSE MOBILIZATION, THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE HUMANITARIAN AID AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE, AND AS INTERNATIONAL ONLY WHEN NECESSAY. IT IS ONLY THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION AND COLLABORATION THAT WE CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFEECTED BY VARIOUS HAZARDS. THE SUCCESS OF OUR ENDEAVORS DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS, ENCOMPASSING GOVERNMENTS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES. TOGETHER, THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR IMPACT, REACH MORE PEOPLE, AND SAVE MORE LIVES. THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS HAS BEEN A STEADFAST PARTNER IN THIS ENDEAVOR, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, DISASTER RELIEF, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT IS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY THAT WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR EFFORTS AND EXTEND OUR REACH TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST, WHENEVER IT IS NEED, WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED.

ONE OF THE CRITICAL HUMANITARIAN ISSUES THAT DEMANDS OUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IS THE PROVISION OF HEALTHCARE AND THE MITIGATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CHLOREA EPIDEMIC HAVE UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF ROBUST PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, AND WE MUST DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THESE SYSTEMS, ENSURING THAT WE ARE RESILIENT AND RESPONSIVE IN THE FACE OF INCREASING AND EMERGING  HEALTH THREATS. EQUITABLE ACCESS TO VACCINES, QUALITY MEDICAL CARE, AND NECESSARY RESOURCES MUST BE A PRIORITY FOR ALL.

ANOTHER PRESSING CONCERN IS THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR COMMUNITIES; FROM RECURRING DROUGHTS AND FLOODING TO SOIL DEGRADATION, THESE CHALLENGES ARE PUTTING IMMENSE STRAIN ON LIVELIHOODS AND FOOD SECURITY. WE MUST INTENSIFY OUR EFFORTS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS AND PROMOTE CLIMATE-RESILIENT PRACTICES TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS, OUR EFFORTS MUST PLACE EMPHASIS ON THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, EARLY AND ANTICIPATORY ACTION. CLIMATE ACTION MUST INCLUDE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY

FURTHERMORE, WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER TO UPHOLD THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF THOSE MOST VULNERABLE, INCLUDING WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. OUR EFFORTS MUST BE INCLUSIVE, ENSURING THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, THEIR NEEDS ARE MET, AND THEIR RIGHTS ARE SAFEGUARDED.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

TONIGHT, I CALL UPON ALL OF YOU TO JOIN ME IN REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO HUMANITARIAN ACTION. LET US CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN ACTORS AND LET US DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL HUMANITARIAN ISSUES FACING OUR NATION. TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A LIFE-SAVING IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF OUR FELLOW ZAMBIANS AND BUILD A MORE RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY FOR ALL.

IN CLOSING, I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO HUMANITARIAN ACTION. YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE SPIRIT OF SOLIDARITY AND COMPASSION THAT DEFINES OUR NATION, AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES BEFORE US AND ACHIEVE LASTING POSITIVE CHANGE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU, AND MAY THIS GALA DINNER INSPIRE US TO CONTINUE OUR VITAL HUMANITARIAN WORK WITH RENEWED VIGOR AND DETERMINATION. LET US CONTINUE TO WRITE A STORY OF HOPE, RESILIENCE, AND PROGRESS FOR THE GREAT NATION OF ZAMBIA.

GOD BLESS ZAMBIA, AND GOD BLESS OUR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS.