3-Food: EU and German NGO helped Zambia to receive non-GE food aid

[GENET <hmeyer@ngi.de>]

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                                  PART I
-------------------------------- GENET-news --------------------------------

TITLE:  EU urged to help Zambia diversify its economy
SOURCE: Xinhuanet, China
        http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-11/25/content_640400.htm
DATE:   Nov 25, 2002

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EU urged to help Zambia diversify its economy

LUSAKA, Nov. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) has Monday been 
called upon to help Zambia in diversifying her developmental sectors to 
improve the food security and create jobs. Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa 
said the EU should help Zambia's efforts in diversifying the agriculture, 
tourism and other sectors to improve the serious food security currently 
facing the country. Mwanawasa was speaking at the State House when he 
received credentials from Henry Bert Sprietsma, EU ambassador in Zambia. "I 
call upon the EU to support efforts of Zambia in diversification especially 
in agriculture, tourism and all other sectors to improve the food security 
and create jobs. I solicit the continued support of the EU to Zambia's 
economy," he said. Mining is presently the backbone of the Zambian economy. 
The country derives 80 percent of its foreign earnings from it and 
itscontribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is at 13 percent and 
formal employment stands at 15 percent. Mwanawasa said the EU represented 
one of Zambia's largest economic partners and therefore paid tribute to the 
trading body for its support towards mitigating the hunger situation. He 
said the EU recently gave Zambia financial support to buy 33,000 tons of 
non-genetically modified food, an indication of the EU's willingness to 
assist Zambia. "I desire to see greater cooperation between Zambia and the 
European Union," Mwanawasa said. For his part, Sprietsma said the EU was 
committed to maintaining the relationship existing between Zambia and the 
EU. He said Zambia was a model for many developing countries in 
strengthening of cooperation with the EU. Before coming to Zambia, 
Sprietsma was EU ambassador in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).


                                  PART II
-------------------------------- GENET-news --------------------------------

TITLE:  GERMANY DONATES NON-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS
SOURCE: ZNBC Radio 2, Zambia/ BBC Monitoring - Africa
DATE:   Nov 26, 2002

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GERMANY DONATES NON-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

The government has thanked Germany for responding positively to the 
supplying of non-genetically modified foods, GMOs, in the country. Central 
Province Deputy Minister Akimson Banda says the government is proud to have 
friends who respect its decisions. Mr Banda said this when a German NGO 
Adventist Development and Relief Agency, ADRA, donated relief maize worth 
more than 120 million Kwacha to Makulu Compound in Kabwe yesterday. He said 
the government had made a bold decision to reject the GMOs, following 
various concerns on the unpredictable effect the foods have on the 
environment and on humans. Mr Banda said Germany's response to the plight 
of the government was a clear indication of the warm bilateral relations 
that exist between the two countries. The deputy minister advised ADRA to 
work with the local institutions in supplying the food to the people in the 
country.



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