LUSAKA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The launch ceremony of the Zambia Food Aid Project, funded by China through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund in partnership with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), was held in Lusaka, Zambia's capital, on Monday.
Under the project, China provided 3.5 million U.S. dollars to help Zambia purchase approximately 5,641 metric tonnes of maize locally. The grain will be distributed over three months to 188,057 beneficiaries, or around 37,000 households, in the most drought-affected districts of Southern and Western Provinces.
The handover ceremony was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing, Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango, embassy officials, and other government representatives, alongside officials from the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) and the WFP, which are implementing partners of the program.
In his remarks, Han said the food assistance program strengthens the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Zambia, highlighting the enduring friendship forged by their founding leaders and nurtured by successive generations.
Han highlighted that the program, jointly implemented by China, Zambia, and the WFP, represents a new model of partnership that integrates bilateral assistance into a broader multilateral framework, showcasing China's proactive and constructive role within the United Nations system.
According to Han, the fund has supported over 190 projects in more than 60 countries in collaboration with more than 20 international organizations, benefiting over 30 million people worldwide in areas including food security, healthcare, maternal and child health, and vocational training.
He emphasized that China will continue to mobilize resources through multiple channels to support Zambia's development, citing numerous instances of timely aid in recent years.
On her part, Nalumango expressed gratitude to China for its timely and impactful support, noting that continued assistance across various sectors reflects the mutual and cordial relationship between the two countries.
She said Zambia remains actively implementing its drought response and food security plan to provide humanitarian aid to affected households, with China's donation significantly relieving drought-stricken communities.
According to the vice president, approximately 9.9 million people across 84 of Zambia's 116 districts have been affected by the drought.
Li Shuyin, deputy director general of CICETE, reaffirmed China's commitment to implementing efficient and high-quality food aid projects in Africa, explaining that CICETE, which manages China's cooperation projects with international organization, is currently overseeing the food aid program in Zambia.
Byenkya Kabasuuga, WFP representative and country director for Zambia, said that local maize purchases will not only feed affected populations but also strengthen market linkages for surplus-producing districts and boost incomes for smallholder farmers. She praised the project as a collaborative effort promoting sustainable outcomes and advancing shared commitments.
A single purchase
