By Scoop Reporter
JAPANESE Ambassador Ryuta Mizuuchi says his country is impressed with the transparent manner in which Zambia is managing the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) information.
The Japanese Ambassador was speaking today when he paid a courtesy call on Minister of Information Dora Siliya at her office.
Mr. Mizuuchi says Zambia has been outstanding in providing COVID-19 information to members of the public.
“My Government and indeed myself are very much impressed with the Zambian Governments performance on COVID-19 updates,” said Mr. Mizuuchi.
He has however, requested the Zambian Government to consider holding COVID-19 media updates more frequently.
He says the Japanese Embassy relies on the accurate information from the COVID-19 briefings to update the Japanese Government and its citizens, who were repatriated to Japan when COVID-19 started.
And Ms. Siliya hailed the cordial and long standing relations between Zambia and Japan saying the Government of Zambia appreciates the assistance that the Japanese Government continues to render in many sectors.
She says Government is keen to sustain the warm relations which exist between Zambia and Japan for the mutual benefit of the two countries that it is eager to further deepen cooperation between Japan and Zambia in the Information and Broadcasting and tourism sectors.
“We want to see how we can support the media in documentary making as well as other areas so that we can enhance the dissemination of information to the people. The entertainment industry is another area which Government wants to support.
“Currently, the industry lacks the necessary tools to take information out there. We have seen the great things which Japan has been able to achieve through disseminating information to its citizens. We want to collaborate and learn from Japan,” Ms. Siliya said.
She says Government is working hard to ensure that all members of the public are not left behind in accessing correct information on COVID-19.
She says the council of Ministers headed by the Vice President will soon meet to discuss the need to carry out an assessment to ascertain the status of the pandemic.
She says part of the assessment will be aimed at understanding science findings that suggest that the Coronavirus spreads more rapidly in the cold season.
Meanwhile, Ms. Siliya revealed that Government has already put in place a plan which will guide on how to escalate or de-escalate interventions in response to the prevailing situation and has commended the media for their role in sharing COVID-19 information to the public.
She has since called on the public to be cautious and follow the advice from the health experts saying the wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may not disappear quickly.
