The Minister of National Development Planning Honourable Alexander Chiteme says the Zambian delegation to the 2018 Spring Meetings held fruitful meetings with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), focusing on the country’s development.
According to a statement releaased to the media by Mr Chibaula Silwamba, the Ministry’s spokesperson, the Minister of National Development Planning was speaking when he featured on a live Voice of America (VOA) programme, Nightline Africa, with host Peter Clottey and producer Shaka Ssali on the sidelines of the 2018 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings.
“We had very fruitful meetings with the IMF and world Bank; as the country we are open to discuss frankly with both the Fund and the Bank,” said Mr. Chiteme on a programme broadcast across the globe on radio and online. “We are very optimistic on the projects we are doing with the World Bank.”
The interview focused on Zambia’s Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) and Zambia’s participation at the on-going 2018 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC, USA.
Mr. Chiteme said Spring Meetings were taking place at the right time when the World Bank was developing the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Zambia.
“We have had and continue to have open and frank engagements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on how they can help us unlock our development agenda in line with our Seventh National Development Plan,” Mr. Chiteme said. “The Spring Meetings have given us opportunities to create synergies between the Seventh National Development Plan and the Country Partnership Framework of the World Bank. Our engagements are important to our continued close collaboration with the World Bank as we implement the Seventh National Development Plan.”
He said financing for the 7NDP would be through domestic resource mobilization and international financing mechanisms.
“In this regard, the Government has put in place measures to enhance domestic resource mobilization by tracking the mineral industry, and the entire extractive sector on how they are accounting for tax their obligations,” he said. “Further, the Government of Zambia has set up various institutions which will facilitate accountability on the Seventh National Development Plan at National Level, Provincial Level, and District Level; and these are required to account for their outcomes.”
He said the just-launched Seventh National Development Plan (implementation plan Volume Two) sets out targets to be reached by various government sectors.
He said the Ministry of National Development Planning would closely monitor and evaluate the implementation of the 7NDP to ensure that it was fully realised in line with the set targets.
In response to the commendation by the presenter that the Seventh National Development Plan is a well-articulated document, the Minister said that Government of Zambia was mindful that having a well-articulated Plan was just part of the equation but to implement and realise the set outcomes is a much bigger battle the focus now is to ensure that the set goals are achieved.
Mr. Chiteme expressed concern that Zambia’s absorption of the donor funded projects, particularly the World Bank’s was lower than expected. “It’s my commitment that during my tenure as Minister of National Development Planning the portfolio performance moves to levels that are satisfactory and this will not only be in the interest of the World Bank but in our interest as the country because it is our desire to accelerate our national development agenda,” the Mr. Chiteme explained. “We intend to re-model the institutional framework for implementing the projects which are financed by the World Bank by creating separate dedicated Project Implementation Units (PIUs) whose sole responsibility will be to provide leadership in implementation of projects.”
The World Bank portfolio is about US$1.3 billion.
Nightline Africa is the only English programme on VOA during the weekend with millions of listeners across the globe.
No comment;
Osatulula imwe ba UPND. Kulibe cholera. Just take note that the world has ignored HH’S whinning. The world listened to Chiteme’s VOA interview and my…the man is articulate. Well done Zambia, abash political prophets of doom. God is looking after Zambia because it is a jewel in his hand. We are precious to God and no amount of hate and evil by UPND will prevail in Zambia.
LAZY PF00Ls.
Instead of growing the economy, they’ve concentrated on indebting the country with IMF, Chinese, EURO-Bond, World Bank, local banks etc.
I’m happy that IMF & World bank have seen through them & refused to loan them any money. Our children, grand children & great grand children are forever shackled to PF Kaloba.
Even now, there are no drugs in hospitals just because 30% of national budget is going to debt service. STYOPET MAKAKAS
Mbili Yakale
You think being articulate will make them Give you money ? The world lenders are not du.ll they know show PF are spending like there is no tomorrow…..$17 billion and you still want more ?
From his face and the way he walks and dresses.
He looks a mere cadre
Thanks
BB2014,2016
#Mushota,
Alex Chiteme is a cadre, he used to sing praises for Lungu before he was appointed as Minister.
It all sounds intelligent with economic terms, fancy numbers, graphs, tables etc… But do we understand what it all really means!? At least 75% of the country is illiterate, that’s why it’s so easy for foreigners to exploit the majority and still get away with it. We keep going back to the world bank and imf for all these development projects yet the world bank gets richer…. and we get more desperate and poorer… so whose developing who here? I think lets educate our own and generate wealth within.
Positive initiative by Hon Mwanakatwe and Chiteme ,they represented the country well and Good sentiments coming from the Finance Global Community I was following the meeting online There will be increased funding as a result of than access
With additional paid in Capital of additional US$13 billion there could not be any better opportunity to tapping the fund and secure the funding especially with the increase in paid in Capital to a USD 80 Billion committed for 2018 for the bank institutional portfolios with restructuring of balance of power between US and China and China graduating to free up more resources for potentially able to grow countries like Zambia…
Sad, relying on external forces and luck for any hope of growth…..
PF will continue winning elections because the opposition is so fragmented, Mulongoti, Musoni, muliokela, Nawakwi, Kambwili, Andyford,Tayali, Madyenkuku,Siwale,Chipimo, – How do you win.
I would like to challenge my colleagues who are so negative of the idea by our government running to external forces for financial assistance. If am correct, in the last budget presentation the finance minister announced that 75% of the GDP will be generated locally. We started seeing government extending revenue collection even to venders selling tomatoes, landlords, boreholes, etc etc by introducing TPINs, just to collect the advance income tax, a move received with condemnation. They tried to fix the mining industries by increasing mineral royalty, this was also received with condemnation. Now you tell me if HH had to form government in 2021, is he going to find anything in the government coffers?!. He will definitely run to the same IMF or embrace the Chinese or go to Anglo. But…
unfortunately Anglo is now being run by Vendata (KCM) with 90% shares!
The IMF mustn’t be happy that Hichilema was released, he’s a danger to public security and investment. So they must demand his incarceration as a precondition for support
Read properly, he is really talking about world bank funding for projects. He has identified $1.30billion that we have not accessed for PROJECTS Clear reading doesnt refer to IMF funding which is not for specific projects but for economy support.
In case you missed!
Childish talking to the former Ivory Coast coach: “Coach, you could have won this game, you were robbed!”
Coach, “We created a lot of chances but we lost. Who robbed us?”
Childish, “By the referee!” Coach, “How?” Childish, “He should have sent one or two players who roughed up Gervinho but only gave you a penalty! You must report the referee to the UN!”
Coach, “To FIFA, you mean?” Childish, “No! to the UN! As a soccer fun and future Zambian president I will write the UN on your behalf!”
Coach, “Childish, that is childish!”