President Hakainde Hichilema says Zambians should embrace the World Bank as a partner and not a foreign entity as it is perceived by some sections of society.
The President said the World Bank has been a partner to the country for many years and the misconceptions about its role in the country need to be cleared and the narrative changed.
“We are saying to the people of Zambia that the World Bank is not a foreign entity. The World Bank and the IMF these are not foreign entities, these are our entities and I think there’s some abuse on the definition of what the World Bank is, “he said.
Speaking at State House yesterday when World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Victoria Kwakwa paid a courtesy call on him, the Head of State thanked the World Bank for its continued support to the country and expressed optimism for a stronger partnership going forward.
He thanked Dr. Kwakwa for visiting Zambia just a few days after assuming office and said Zambia could leverage on her experience in working with the Asian economies to share knowledge and practices that could benefit the country in its development path.
“We want to express our appreciation that we are one of the first stops for you to visit in your new role. Especially that you are coming from working in a region that we admire a lot, who has difficulties but managed to develop their economies in a short period of time and improve the lives of their people. Looking at the natural resource endowment of this country and their natural resource base. We have better. We do not want to reinvent the wheel but we are looking up to you and your team to work with us and shorten the learning curve to save time and resources” he said
President Hichilema also highlighted that government is prioritizing improvements in technology as a means to address a lot of challenges in delivery of social services and has appealed to the World Bank to work with the country in its plans to improve the digital space.
And Visiting World Bank Vice President for Eastern and South Africa, Victoria Kwakwa has hailed government for pursuing economic reforms at a difficult time nationally and globally and has pledged the World Bank’s support for the benefit of all Zambians.
“We want to congratulate you and the Ministry of Finance for the reforms that you’re pursuing at a very difficult time for the country and globally and using this as a time to reform shows political will and we want to commit our continued support to ensure that you are successful and create value for the people of Zambia” she said
Dr. Kwakwa stressed that the World Bank is equally prioritizing digitalization as a critical tool that drives productivity, offer more social services and help prevent social ills such as corruption.
Dr. Kwakwa is in the Country on a familiarisation tour of the Country as she assumed her role on 1st of July 2022.
Why go on tirade? Speech by the administration. We are not against World bank or IMF What we are against is less representation by
GRZ and political parties.
There is no consistency in the way GRZ treats taxpayers and political parties.
Political parties come out as winners and GRZ left fend for oneself.
IMF and World bank Want to do business with us because their constituency is diverse and they are answerable to the constituency.
“.Why go on tirade? Speech by the administration. We are not against…..”
The president is saying this because he has seen the alarmists among us who see conspiracy and shadows when ever they see a white man…….or when ever zambia has to deal with white people…….
“Zambians should embrace the World Bank as a partner”
You can not develop a nation with this kind of mindset….HH7 its such statements that reinforce the narrative that you are a puppet for the West.
We campaigned hard for you. We want you to fix Zambia….. We want you to do terms in office. I have to say this is typical – I WILL KISS YOUR BEHIND SPEECH. There is nothing in this speech which motivates Zambians but just to continue depending on borrowing loans, loans and loans from IMF and World Bank…… The president should work hard on maximising collecting taxes from these mining crooks who continue getting away with murder. Can the president find a speech writer and a mature government spokesperson?
I now understand why sishuwa said this guy is a let down…. world bank , imf etc are imperialist institutions set up by the imperialists themselves (USA) to continue pushing their satanic agenda against every nation of this planet.. there is nothing that matters for the world bank than to push your citizens into abject poverty and ruin through manipulation and high intrests on their loans so that you become tied to them and eventually become puppets who dictated at
Bwana…………
Such inferiority complex is a throw back to the mugabe area and a hindrance to developing for our people………….
How come indians , Chinese, and almost all fast developing peoples don’t see such conspiracy theories like us Africans ????
Other people’s make sure they use the IMF and banks to their advantage……….
Manje imwe…… muka ona muzungu, ati afuna kini nyngelella ani belle ????
The president is right………….
We are not against borrowing, we are against reckless, corrupt borrowing……….
Even on an individual basis , the banks must not be seen as your enemy , but a tool to better your living conditions……….
If you are a reckles , undisplined character, then banks will be your enemy…….
Same with a country with corrupt, reckless, theiving government, the IMF and World Bank will be your enemy to heap all blame on……….
Our President’s body language.
Why didn’t u talk to Ndambo like this. Pride of just accepting that your fellow black guy can help you. Unless he was white. Slavery taught black people that a white man is an investor and a black man is a competitor!
@ spaka to be honest pal muzungu ni lazo…just look at our history as africans- who colonized us ??who scrambled for africa??… vonse ni muzungu they will steal professionally and give back a little in aid.
No , we are better prepared for them.
It’s now give and take.
The days of one way rip-off because we were lead by dull leaders is over
Wala iwe muzungu bootliicker.
The last time Zambians tried that move, they came out brutally bruised to an extent that today all of a sudden h² is the richest kid. How, by dining with these crazy baldheads, the world bank and it’s cousin – the IMF. You and those folks are the only beneficiaries of the debt you want to get. No development is supported by these state capturers. We can’t forget these rapi.sts. Victoria, just beat it. Zingamo. Leave Zambia alone.
Throw your slave mentality away and think as equals with the world………
That mental block of everyone white after your wealth , yet you can’t live without aid is embarrassing to say the least………….
@ Spaka, who pays you to be defending the indefensible? Are you a Western puppet too? Some of us support HH and UPND. But it doesn’t mean that we can’t criticize him or advise him. He’s not above criticism nor does he know everything. If anything, you do more harm than good by defending everything he’s doing, whether good of bad. That’s why you come across as a propagandist western puppet.
Partners in what exactly? we are against the use of these organisations as a tool to accessing our vital resources. Why do these organisations impose draconian rules on poorer nations but very lenient on their European counterparts? If Boris was African, he would have been a reckless dictat0r.
The damn last time we did that you and the World Bank got extremely stinking rich.
All the proceeds were from mother Zambia.
This time you wanna reap and rip it apart real awesome big.
You indeed have no shame.
Some us Africans are indeed shallow and have an inferiority complex that will never go away…………….
The only consolation to the progressives is the president deals with the world as equals , not as some of with houseboy mentality……………
We all know, borrowing drives economies. When people are able to borrow – businesses are created and the cogs of life continue turning. Provided you can pay back, borrowing is not bad. However, unlike high street banks, which once you prove you can pay off the loan, leave you to get on with your intended business, the IMF organisation becomes instructor on how you must run your country! You obey, but when the conditions of borrowing are too punishing to the people on whose behalf you’re borrowing…and you have a soul, it’s a hard act to follow.
#plant a tree please.
Again HH clearly demonstrates that he has no idea the forces he’s dealing with. The World Bank and IMF work hand in hand in undermining Africa’s development. They serve the interests of Western countries. They could care less for the development of Zambia. Please read “Confessions of an economic hitman,” by John Perkins, to understand the role they play in poor countries. Don’t be naïve.
But all of you *****ic stinking PF cadres above , who called the IMF to Zambia? wasnt it you PF cadres ? and IMF has been refusing for 7 years to come cos you had no capacity to repay. Who went to Europe to borrow the Eurobond money? again here, it was you PF cadres that followed these white people there. they didnt come to you but you followed them. SO why didnt you use your sovereinity then? Why didnt you yourselves go to borrow from James Ndambo then , instd IMF or WOrld Bank-why? But its now pay back time and you wanna be clever? It was you who went to these white people as beggers or slaves. WHy didnt you use your mines to collect revenue as you always advice HH, why didnt you go James Ndambo to borrow-why?
The world Bank has been out partner since independence. We already embraced them.They also need to embrace us