Activities

These are some of the most important projects carried out by the Italian Cooperation in Zambia during the last 30 years.

Commodity Aid:
The programme, which began with the signing of the Financial Protocol in 1990, was put in practice in 1992 and extended to the private sector, where 50% of the available funds were allocated. These generated a counterpart fund, which could eventually be made available for new projects in the framework of the Italian Cooperation in Zambia.

Emergency project to assist high risk HIV/AIDS Zones:
This was lunched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000, as an Italian Initiative to fight HIV/AIDS. The aim was to sustain the National Plan against AIDS through interventions in priority areas where there is inadequate help from the public structure, due to lack of funds.
The principal aim of the project was to strengthen the health districts of Siavonga and Mazabuka, two cities in which the incidence of HIV/AIDS was above the country’s average.
The project was supervised by an expert from the Directorate-General for the Development Cooperation and ended on the 31st December 2002.
As part of the project, the sanitary structures in Siavonga and Mazabuka’s district and the orphans’ centres at Mtendere and Chirundu’s hospitals have been renovated; an operation center for the “Mazabuka AIDS Multisectoral Initiative” has been set up; medicines, sanitary material, HIV tests, and equipment were bought for Mtendere Hospital; volunteers have been trained; informative material has been produced.

KABWE SURFACE WATER SCHEME:
This project concerns the construction of a 13-million litre dam, two pumping stations, a purification plant and related infrastructure.
Work started in 1988.  It was carried out by Aquater and Sarplast and was completed in the first half of 1990.
The dam was inaugurated in July 1991; it supplies water to the city of Kabwe, which at that time had 500.000 inhabitants; it also provides water to industries for use in their production processes.

COPPERBELT WATER SUPPLY SCHEME:  
The major objective of the project was to address the primary needs of the Copperbelt’s population - one of the most industrialized and highly-populated regions of the country.  

CONSTRUTION OF THE MANSA-MENSE-NCHELENGE ROAD: 
The project was undertaken by Cogefar and funded through a grant aid. Its aim was to develop the fishing industry in Luapula province, part of which borders Lake Mweru.
 
MODERNISATION OF THE KAFUE FERTILIZER PLANT: Nitrogen Chemical of Zambia.
The aim of the programme was to develop and increase the output of the plant’s production of fertilizers, by providing machinery, spare parts and technical assistance.  

The contract was signed with Enichem-Agricoltura in April 1991.

The programme was completed in 1995, and was received with great interest by the local authorities because of the important role played by agriculture in the government’s projects.

AGEA food supply programme.
In November 2004, 3,391.70 tons of white, locally-produced maize worth approximately 500,000 € were given to the Zambian Government, under the Agea Food Supply Programme. Although the output of Zambia’s main agricultural product has increased year on year, the donation contributed significantly to the food reserves for those areas which are still threatened by food shortages.