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U.S. Ambassador Inaugurates Steering Committee For Zambia’s Two Global Development Alliances

United States Ambassador to Zambia, Carmen Martinez, today Wednesday, February 1st opened the first Steering Committee meeting for two HIV/AIDS public-private partnerships, or Global Development Alliances (GDAs), covering six provinces and 36 districts. Representatives from eight private companies, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, the National AIDS Council, and the United States government discussed the impact of HIV/AIDS on lost productivity, absenteeism, and funeral expenses. They also addressed drain on pension funds, difficulties in recruiting new staff, and higher than normal training costs.

Ambassador Martinez commended the private sector for their commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS.

“This partnership is a formidable alliance. The high profile of our private sector partners highlights the importance today’s businesses place on investing resources and efforts to mitigate the impact of HIV in the workplace and surrounding communities,” Ambassador Martinez said.

In September 2005, the United States government and eight private companies created two innovative public-private partnerships to alleviate the impact of HIV/AIDS on the nation’s mining and agribusiness industries as well as on surrounding communities. This approach combines the resources of the U.S. government and Zambia’s private sector to support HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services.

The five mining sector companies involved are Konkola Copper Mines, Mopani Copper Mines, First Quantum Minerals through their operations in Bwana Mkubwa Mining, Kansanshi Copper Mines, and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation while the three agribusinesses are Dunavant Zambia Limited, Zambia Sugar Company and Mkushi Farmers Association.

The eight private companies will contribute $5.6 million over the next three years to prevent new cases of HIV transmission, to care for people living with HIV/ AIDS, to support orphans and vulnerable children, and to increase the availability of anti-retroviral treatment. Over the same three years the U.S. government will contribute at least $3.5 million in technical and financial support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Technical support is provided through the USAID funded SHARe Project and the Community HIV/AIDS Management Programme (CHAMP).
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The two GDAs bring to the table a broad commitment: financial support, in-kind support, unique infrastructures, employees and dependants, and outreach to a population of over one million. The GDAs will enable the companies to improve, expand, and accelerate their existing programs, to reduce the impact on businesses and employees, while linking with community outreach programs that further enhance the positive social impact of the participating corporations.

For more information, please contact:

Marta Levitt-Dayal or Ngaitila Phiri
USAID/Zambia
P.O. Box 32481
Phone: 254-303 ext 177
mlevittdayal@usaid.gov or nphiri@usaid.gov