The Executive Director-Transparency International
Zambia, Mr. Maurice K. Nyambe;
l Representatives of all Development Partners Present;
l Senior Government Officials Present;
l Members of the Civil Society;
l Members of the Press;
l Distinguished Guests;
l Ladies and Gentlemen.
l I am pleased to be here and officiate at the launch of on the Gap
Analysis of climate and Carbon Finance Corruption Risk
Assessment Report organized by transparency international
Zambia through the climate change integrity programme;
l I wish to commend Transparency International Zambia for this
important report on climate and carbon finance as it adds to the
creating awareness and sensitisation on climate finance;
l As Government, we have reviewed the report and digested its
findings and of course we do value and appreciate feedback from
stakeholders, of course in some cases it is just some break down
in information flow, and I will address some of these key findings
in my remarks;
Ladies and gentlemen
l One of the key findings of the report is that the lack of a
comprehensive legislation on climate change has posed a challenge
on climate finance;
l Government is aware of this fact, and has been working on putting
in place legislation on climate change;
l In this regard, a Draft Climate Change Bill has been in place as far
back as 2020 and has now been changed to a Draft Green
Economy and Climate Change;
2
l The Bill has undergone through various stages of consultations
including two validation workshops, one in December 2020 and
another one in March 2024;
l In addition, Government went out of its way to open up Internal
Legislative Committee meeting, which was held in August 2024 to
include other stakeholders, including civil society;
l We have also received written submissions from stakeholders
which have been incorporated into the current version of the Bill;
l So, from Government’s perspective, the consultation process on
the Bill has been open and inclusive, but we do understand that
not all organisations may have attended these consultations,
although this have not been by design, consultations by nature is
about representation of our different segments of our society;
l By conducting this corruption risk assessment, we now have a
clear and evidence-based understanding of the potential risks to
climate finance, and we are better positioned to implement
measures that will safeguard these funds from potential
corruption;
Ladies and gentlemen
l The report has also touched on the need for transparency and
information sharing, and this is noted;
l As the Report acknowledges, Government is in the process of
developing a Carbon Market Framework (CFM), with various
guidelines of the entire spectrum;
l While some components and infrastructure for the Framework are
completed and functional, some components are yet to be put in
place;
l One such component yet to be in place is the National Carbon
Registry, which will be the clearing house and depository of all
carbon transactions, including agreements signed, complete with
any figures involved;
3
l Therefore, I wish to assure all stakeholders that Government has
no intentions of keeping any information away from stakeholders,
once the National Carbon Registry is up ad running, anyone will
be able to access information on all projects, including any
agreements signed;
l It is for this reason that any agreement that Government has
signed has been done openly, covered by the media and followed
up with our own media dissemination;
l We are committed to addressing corruption in all its forms, and
this report highlights the need for stronger institutional
frameworks, enhanced oversight mechanisms, and the promotion
of a culture of integrity across all sectors involved in climate
finance.
Ladies and gentlemen
l No single institution or organization can combat corruption alone
and we invite you to joint Government and its crusade in rooting
out corruption from our institutions and processes;;
l The fight against corruption, particularly in such critical areas as
climate finance, requires strong partnerships between
Government, civil society, the private sector, and the international
community;
l it is through collective action that we can ensure climate finance
is used for its intended purpose and that the benefits reach those
who need them most;
l I commend Transparency International Zambia for its tireless
efforts in promoting transparency and accountability across
various sectors;
l This climate finance corruption risk assessment report is a
testament to your commitment to building a more accountable and
resilient Zambia;
l I wish to assure you of the strong partnership from Government as
a whole and the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, feel
free to approach our offices whenever you need any clarification;
4
Ladies and gentlemen
l As we launch this report today, let us all commit to taking decisive
action to implement its recommendations;
l As the Ministry responsible for green economy and climate change,
we will take the necessary steps to review and strengthen our own
systems, while also working with our partners to ensure that
climate finance serves its intended purpose: building a greener,
more sustainable, and climate-resilient Zambia;
l As I conclude my remarks, I wish to express my sincere
appreciation to Transparency International Zambia and all the
stakeholders involved in producing this report;
l I also extend my gratitude to our development partners and all
those working tirelessly to support climate action in Zambia
l Let us continue to work together to protect our environment,
strengthen our systems, and build a future free from corruption.
I thank you for your kind attention.
