PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRETORIA, Friday 24th November 2017
Land and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata has announced that Zambia has placed a total ban on exportation of all forms of timber logs.
Ms Kapata says this was in a bid to help set up and promote timber processing and manufacturing companies in Zambia that would add value to the raw materials that were being exported.
She said the move would help Zambia create jobs through partnerships between the local people and foreign investors.
Ms Kapata was speaking in Pretoria South Africa on the sidelines of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC ) conference for Ministers responsible for Environment Natural Resources ,fisheries Acquaculture and Tourism.
She observed that Zambia was previously losing out on the full value of Timber by exporting raw timber logs to the Far East.
She added that Zambia has since formulated a plan to plant over one million trees this year in order to curb deforestation.
And Ms Kapata disclosed that Zambia was concerned with rampant cases of illegal poaching of endangered animal species such as Rhinoes, Elephants and other species.
She said the German government has since given SADC Countries €20million Euros to protect endangered species by training specialised anti poaching scouts.
Naomi Nyawali
First secretary press and public relation
Zambia High Commission Pretoria South Africa
Email press@zambiapretoria.net.