The Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) is recommending that government addresses the high cost of borrowing as negotiations for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) are drawing closer to a conclusion.
CTPD is of the view that the high cost of borrowing is negatively affected domestic spending and results in the inadequate flow of credit to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) that poses an adverse effect to the cost of production and makes local products uncompetitive.
Outlining the measures that Zambia should take to benefit from the AFCFTA, CTPD Researcher-Trade and Development Tawila Anamela is also urging the government to stiffen competition and antidumping laws to ensure the liberalization of the markets does not bring rise to anti-competitive practices by foreign players and the dumping of substandard or unwanted goods into the market.
Mr. Anamela says CTPD wants the government to enhance awareness campaigns on market access and quality standards required by regional and international markets.
To the SMEs and other local industry players, CTPD says there must be a deliberate action to consider appropriate business strategies that will ensure the survival of their businesses, such as strategic partnerships and joint venture initiatives that will allow them to focus on their competitive or comparative advantages.
Upon successful conclusion of the AFCFTA, Zambian companies will have the ability to access all regional and continental markets with less regulatory measures and will make it easier for industry players to participate or integrate into the global supply chain, in addition to reducing the overall cost of doing business and providing better efficiencies.
To address the high cost of bank credit in Zambia, u start by bringing order to public finances so that there’s a marked reduction in government borrowing in the money market. A researcher in economic issues ought to know that. There’s nothing to negotiate here. I don’t see it in what Tawila Anamela of the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) is saying.
Remove Food Reserve Agency(FRA) Director Chola Kafwabulula. The man has stolen and turned an Important Agriculture Institution into a LAW FIRM. Agriculture Experts like Chamatete, Musonda, Mangenda, Sakala etc are being sidelined . We had great management and science brains at FRA like Isaac, Mumba, Edify Hamukale,, Morrison Kunda , Clement Kumalinga, Mukonda and others who were tactfully removed from the organization for speaking the truth even without any offence. Intelligent brains in their prime were thrown out of FRA. President Rupiah Banda was misled and we ended up losing some of the best brains because of people like Kafwabulula the current Director. There is terror at FRA, people live in fear of the incompetent Kafwabulula. Please Remove this man
Remove Food Reserve Agency(FRA) Director Chola Kafwabulula. The man has stolen and turned an Important Agriculture Institution into a LAW FIRM and LAZ. Agriculture Experts like Chamatete, Musonda, Mangenda, Sakala etc are being sidelined . We had great management and science brains at FRA like Isaac Mumba, Edify Hamukale,, Morrison Kunda , Mukonda, Clement Kumalinga and others who were tactfully removed from the organization for speaking the truth even without any offence. Intelligent brains in their prime were thrown out of FRA. President Rupiah Banda was misled and we ended up losing some of the best brains because of people like Kafwabulula the current Director. There is terror at FRA, people live in fear of the incompetent Kafwabulula. Please Remove this man
Government doesn’t read Lusaka Times comments , so I would suggest you keep your brilliant ideas to yourselves or approach a GVMT department directly and advice there, than sitting behind your keyboard or chinese phone and be like “oh remove this, remove that”, why don’t u remove your own dirty shoes rather?