SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT, JITO KAYUMBA, SAYS THE COUNTRY IS MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS ON GROWING THE ECONOMY.
MR KAYUMBA SAYS THE GOVERNMENT’S INTERVENTIONS IN DEBT RESTRUCTURING AND INVESTMENT IN KEY SECTORS SUCH AS MINING, AGRICULTURE, AND TOURISM HAVE IMPROVED THE ECONOMY OVER THE YEARS.
HE SAYS, THE COUNTRY IS PERFORMING BETTER ECONOMICALLY AND THIS HAS CREATED INVESTOR CONFIDENCE.
MR KAYUMBA SAYS THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS ENABLED JOB CREATION AND INCREASED LIQUIDITY IN THE ECONOMY.
HE NOTED THAT THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE DROUGHT HIGHLY AFFECTED FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY, HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT’S INVESTMENTS IN IRRIGATION AND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY, INCLUDING SOLAR POWER PLANTS HAS BEEN HELPFUL AND WORKING IN GOOD FAVOUR FOR ZAMBIAN ECONOMY AND HAS HELPED REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON HYDROLOGY AND ENSURE A STABLE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.
HE HIGHLIGHTED THAT, THE ECONOMY GREW BY 4 PERCENT LAST YEAR, EXCEEDING PROJECTION OF 2 PERCENT.
AND MR KAYUMBA SAYS TOURIST ARRIVALS ALSO EXCEEDED 2.2 MILLION, A RECORD-BREAKING IN THE HISTORY OF ZAMBIA.
MR KAYUMBA HAS PROJECTED THAT ZAMBIA WILL PRODUCE MORE COPPER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY THIS YEAR DUE TO INVESTMENT THAT THE SECTOR HAS RECEIVED.