LUSAKA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese firm on Wednesday handed over 100 fuel tankers to the Zambian government to increase young people's participation in the petroleum sector.
The tankers, donated by King Long Motors Zambia Limited, were officially handed over to Zambia's Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts during a ceremony held in Lusaka, the capital, and are expected to directly and indirectly benefit about 12,000 young people across the country.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Wu Chunming, manager of the Chinese company, said that the partnership demonstrated the private sector's commitment to supporting the Zambian government's youth empowerment agenda.
"We urge the beneficiary cooperatives to take ownership of these assets, use and maintain them responsibly, and turn them into sustainable sources of income and employment," he said.
Chileshe Kangwa, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, highlighted the handover as a milestone in the government's efforts to address youth unemployment and increase local participation in the petroleum sector.
The Multi-Sectoral Youth Empowerment Program, launched in 2020, was designed to empower young entrepreneurs across Zambia by providing commercial assets to enable them to participate in the petroleum sector and promote the retention of profits within the country.
Kangwa said the government remained committed to ensuring that the program translated into productive assets, sustainable businesses and improved livelihoods for young people.
A single purchase
