COMMUNITY Development Minister, Michael Kaingu has said that the Government is happy with World Vision Zambia for its impartiality in assisting the vulnerable in society.

Mr Kaingu said unlike other non-governmental organisations in the country, the World Vision had shown that it was ready to assist the Government in helping the vulnerable regardless of their political inclination.

He said at the World Vision Zambia symposium in Lusaka yesterday that the Government would continue to interact with NGOs such as World Vision, which supplement the efforts of improving the lives of the vulnerable.

The international organisation's symposium was aimed at strategising the operations of the institution for the next two years by embracing and encompassing more partners in its operations.

The minister said although Zambia had continued to undergo a social, political and economic transformation envied by many African countries, the process was incomplete hence the need for stakeholders.

"This Government sees the work of collaborating partners such as world Vision as of key benefit to the Zambia people.

"I must state here that non-governmental organisations such as World Vision has have been our all weather friends in the fight against poverty and diseases in our nation," he said.

Mr Kaingu said since 1981 when the organisation started working in Zambia, World Vision had partnered well with Government in assisting the Government to help various sectors such as health, agriculture and water and sanitation.

He said the Government had in last decade invested heavily in reforms that were aimed at reducing poverty in the country and the immediate results had been the GDP growth rate, which had increased from 2.4 in 1998 to 4.8 in 2005.

He said the vision of the World Vision to eliminate hunger and malnutrition supported the Government development objectives in line with the Fifth National Development Plan as well as the Vision 2030.

Earlier, World Vision national director, Mike Veitenhans said the success of the organisation would be greater with strong partnership with other stakeholders including the Government.

Mr Veitenhans said the Government had been the long-term trusted partner in the organisation's efforts of assisting the people in health, education as well as the fight against the HIV/AIDS.

"World Vision operates in more than 100 countries and in Zambia, we have continued to work in various sectors including in the prevention of HIV/AIDS," he said.