ACTIONAID Zambia has urged government to increase investments in environmental protection and youth employment, warning that the 2026 National Budget risks leaving critical areas underfunded.
The organisation noted that while government has allocated more money to sectors like health, education and social protection, only 0.7 percent of the entire budget has gone to environmental protection and climate resilience, an amount ActionAid described as too small to tackle pollution environmental problems.
It further expressed concern that with over 20 percent of Zambian youth unemployed, the budget still lacks large-scale transformative programmes to create jobs and harness the country’s young population.
At the same time, ActionAid commended the rollout of the agricultural e-voucher system, expanded free education and increased funding for women and youth through the Constituency Development Fund,
However, it warned that without transparency and strict accountability, these initiatives risk being politicised or mismanaged.
ActionAid country director Faides Tembatemba said the country must reimagine how resources are allocated if the budget is to work for ordinary Zambians.
“We cannot continue with business as usual when the environment is collapsing and young people are left without jobs,” Tembatemba said.
The organisation has also called for greater transparency in the use of public resources, stronger accountability on the CDF, and urgent rollout of large-scale employment programmes to harness the potential of the country’s youthful population.
By George Musonda
Kalemba October 4, 2025
