FELIX MUTATI, minister of science and technology, has pushed the private sector to dominate global commerce and investment in order to aid the nation’s economic transition.
According to Mr. Mutati, the government is committed to fixing, reviving, and expanding the economy in collaboration with the private sector.
In Lusaka, Mr. Mutati presided over the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Zambia Association of Manufactures and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Africa Trade and Investment program.
The Minister said that by establishing the Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF), the government had fulfilled its responsibility to address the major obstacles to the growth of the private sector, especially local manufacturers.
Moreover, ELIAS MUBANGA, Zambia’s Minister of Small and Medium Business Development, claimed that Zambia’s participation in the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) had led to a growth in private sector export participation.
While much has been done to enhance exports to the USA, Mr. MUBANGA admitted that more work remains to be done in order to fully use that nation’s export market.
The project’s general objective, according to USAID Zambia Mission Director PETER WIEBLER, is to boost trade and investment that leads to inclusive growth, with a specific focus on green growth to lessen the adverse impact on Zambia’s natural resources.
According to Mr. WIEBLER, trade boost offers the necessary technical support to pinpoint and resolve market issues preventing pro-poor and inclusive economic growth.
