Italy is ready to invest in renewable energy in Zambia

Italy can offer a strong support to the transition towards renewable energy sources in Zambia. This is what came out of a seminar held in Lusaka and attended by numerous Italian entrepreneurs of the sector. Access to energy in a Country in which 60% of the population does not have any is an issue of key importance in trying to reduce socio-economic inequalities and foster the Country’s economic and human development. The seminar highlighted that the most serious problems in this sector are relaunching the Zesco public power company and the State’s high indebtedness, which makes it necessary to rely on private investments in order to promote access to energy. In his address to the seminar, the Italian Ambassador to Zambia, Filippo Scammacca, emphasised that “the cooperation between Zambia and Italy was not born today: two of the major dams (Kariba and Itezhitezhi) responsible for meeting most of the electricity demand were both built by Italian companies, as also most of the electricity grid that was created in the years following its independence was developed by Italian engineering companies. Italy therefore is now interested in continuing this cooperation.” The seminar also offered the opportunity for Res4Africa to promote a fund-raiser for the Mtendere diocesan hospital in Chirundu, which is managed by the Milan-based Sisters of Charity, in order to equip it with a photovoltaic system that will contribute to supply power to the operating theatre and other key departments.