Friday, March 29, 2024

Cooperating Partners commends Zambian government for maintaining an open-door engagement policy

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Mr Mutati in a roundtable meeting with coperating partners
Mr Mutati in a roundtable meeting with coperating partners

THE COOPERATING PARTNERS GROUP has commended the Zambian government for maintaining an open-door engagement policy in the process of driving the country’s economy towards stabilisation and growth.

The Cooperating Partners Group made this observation during a mid-year networking meeting with the Ministry of Finance at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Lusaka today, and added that, “it was not happening before, well done.”

Led by US AMBASSADOR TO ZAMBIA DAVID SCHULTZ, who is also the new Chair for the “COOPERATING PARTNERS GROUP TROIKA”, they also took note of a brief by the Minister of Finance FELIX MUTATI on the essential but non-intrusive powers on human rights given to the Zambia Police Service in the security enhancement regulations derived from the provisions of Article 31 of the Republican Constitution of Zambia.

The Cooperating Partners collectively called for sustained affirmative sensitization on Article 31 by the Government, further stating that, although its activation had caused some ripples, “we are doing our part to ensure that our citizens [foreign nationals] working in this country, and the authorities and investors in our capitals back home, are correctly briefed on the developments related to the current security enhancement measures in Zambia.”

The partners took the opportunity to call on the Zambian Government to clearly spell out the implementation framework for the situational analysis of State-Owned-Enterprises, adding that, “clear policy implementation has an influence on investment decisions by the international community.”

The State-Owned-Enterprises on the 2017 review schedule are Zesco, Zamtel, Zambia National Building Society [ZNBS], Indeni, TAZAMA Pipeline, Zambia Railways, and Zambia State Insurance Corporation [ZSIC].

“It is for this reason that your commendable work on publishing monthly economic indicators should continue and be supplemented by the launch of the 2017 Mid-Year Economic Review,” they said, adding that, “on our part, we undertake to continue our periodical performance reviews of the various grants and assistance programmes in Zambia.”

Members of the Cooperating Partners Group who attended the meeting included, United States, France, Italy, China, Ireland, Sweden, Britain [DFID], Japan, Finland, Germany, United Nations [UNDP], World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Union, African Development Bank, and International Labour Organisation.

And Mr. MUTATI briefed the gathering of representatives of the international community that most economic fundamentals had performed well during the first half of 2017 because of the hard work of the people of Zambia, the re-energization of the local private sector, and the unwavering support of the Cooperating Partners; in-tandem with the International Investor and Business Community.

The Minister briefed the Cooperating Partners Group that the poor performance of non-tax-revenue collections has had a significant impact, “resulting in a revenue deficit in the first half of 2017 but rest assured that we are instituting measures to improve the situation,” and further appealed to the Cooperating Partners Group to render financial support to Zambia.

Mr. Mutati disclosed that to ensure that the Government’s prudential fiscal policies took a firm-hold on management of the fiscus, a FISP database clean-up exercise was underway and that a lot of non-deserving persons and fake beneficiaries had been weeded-out and banned from further accessing FISP incentives.

“We are slowing down on debt accumulation while striking the revenue mobilisation balance by increasing our domestic resource collection efforts,” he stated.

The Minister took time to brief the Cooperating Partners Group on Zambia’s engagement with the IMF and reiterated the commitment of the country to stay awake and keep a stern eye on the agreed benchmarks and performance criteria in order to reach the IMF Board decision point next month.

“We will use the IMF platform to consolidate our resolve to strictly adhere to world-class financial and economic management practices. It will become a way of life,” said Mr. Mutati.

Mr. Mutati also acknowledged the positive impact that visits to Zambia in 2017 by business, trade, and investment groups from countries such as France, Ghana, Britain, Morocco, South Africa, Rwanda, Poland, and Sweden have had on the current improvement of market sentiments and perception of the country as one of the best destinations for investment and business in Africa.

22 COMMENTS

    • Like they had any other alternatives than to stick out the begging bowel?? PLEAAASE !!!!!

      More kaloba please, we have no vision beyond this !!

    • The rumours and confirmation from inside sources that Lungu prefers to see Mutati take over after his next term 2026 is REFRESHING

      Mutati has the aura, experience and would have served himself well by biding his time.

      Like all of you, I think he will make a better president in 2026.

      Thanks

      BB2014,2016

    • Mutati how are you going to use the IMF platform when you clueless boss says they must go?

  1. State owned enterprises are the backbone of the Chinese economy and do not listen to others who want to pick up cheap but valuable assets of African state owned companies. IMF policies sasebenza for the benefit of Africa. Soon the IMF will be calling for kwacha devaluation to ensure that they get better yields on their $based loans.

    • Well manicured State capitalism is the way forward for African economies just like the Chinese. In 1997 when hong kong was handed back to the owners the Chinese..the HK GDP was about 15% of the Chinese economy but now it is a paltry 3%.

    • @2 Kwa mandevu.. I AM WITH 100%, these so called “cooperating partners” are out for their interests! The ONLY THING they are looking for is this “The State-Owned-Enterprises on the 2017 review schedule are Zesco, Zamtel, Zambia National Building Society [ZNBS], Indeni, TAZAMA Pipeline, Zambia Railways, and Zambia State Insurance Corporation [ZSIC]” – to see WHAT THEIR MULTINATIONALS CAN GET FOR THEMSELVES! The GREATER TROUBLE is as a NATION and COUNTRY, we HAVE BECOME SELFISH AND RECKLESS IN RUNNING OUR NATIONAL AFFAIRS SUCH THAT SOEs ARE VANDALIZED TO SERVE NARROW INTERESTS OF THOSE IN POWER INSTEAD CREATING WEALTH FOR NATION. AS IT STAND, MUTATI MAY JUST BE SALIVATING FOR PRIVATIZING THEM SO HE GETS HIS CUT, INSTEAD OF INSTILLING BETTER MANAGEMENT!!

    • bwafyaa..you are right. These chaps are looking for cheap assets for their MNCs and nothing for Zambia. If you see mazungus smiling at you…know that they want to get something from you. In fact Goz SHOULD create a Zambia construction Ltd and then employ the brainiest engineers to do construction projects in partnership with other Zambia cos.

      Zambian govt can even list it on the luseki stock exchange…

    • Sad that we still turn for help to these westerners who colonized and call that progress. Something is seriously wrong with us.

  2. This MMD Accountant is just after a bail out to give to his Lazy empty tins waiting in the shadows to steal.

    • …they have all gone for check ups after their BPs shot up after all the positive outlooks, Bloomberg yesterday now this??? kwekwekwekwe….

  3. Co-operating Partners have been jittery over recent local political developments and its within their interest to gather truths from all angles. The Partners were better placed to be addressed by the president to argument it with good governance. As things stand Mutati can bang on but the political side of things which determines influence to bear on IMF is missing. An opportunity missed and Zambia is going in circles without any breakthrough in procuring the much needed aid to the nation. The political events in Zambia is so compelling not to be ignored by the Cooperating partners. The ball is in Lungus’ corner.

  4. Unfortunately, we cannot please evil spirits! That we know and we will continue to do good and ignore them!

  5. “Recent political developments!” Locking up an irresponsible unappreciative person who became rich after privatization and borrowed a lot so he could sell Zambia but lost, cannot concede defeat and his hooligan supporters were destroying infrastructure! Recent political developments? These tribal guys are dull!

  6. Waste of effort and resources, to bear a child who will become a (UPN)Donkey at a tender age of underfive.

  7. Maybe sometimes it is too open and we do not monitor the zambians in a position to steal the money as the door turns round Zccmminerhateskasolo.blogspot.com

  8. The economic high speed train has taken off, and some “people” are still riding on donkeys. Get on the train or else you and your blind supporters will be left behind. When the UPNDonkeys wake up they will realise that they and their areas have remained in the dark ages still riding donkeys.

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