Charity Moonga
25 July 2007
PRESIDENT Mwanawasa has reiterated Government's commitment to work at achieving a private sector-driven economy through the full implementation of the Private Sector Reform Programme (PSRP).
Mr Mwanawasa said though a lot had been achieved under the PSRP process, a lot more still needed to be done.
He said this when he officially closed the 5th Zambia International Business Advisory Council (ZIBAC) conference in Livingstone yesterday.
Through the PSRP, Government wanted to establish measures to reduce the cost of doing business in Zambia.
"We look forward to creating a vibrant private sector-driven economy. The private sector must contribute to wealth creation and poverty reduction in the country," he said.
He called for the implementation of the resolutions made at the ZIBAC conference to ensure national development.
"I implore ministries to implement resolutions without delay. Government will reform the Private Sector Reform Programme through harmonisation of donor projects to avoid duplication of efforts," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mwanawasa has apologised to ZIBAC chairman, Lord Simon Cairns for criticising him over his remarks that nothing much had been achieved after the last ZIBAC meeting held in 2005.
"I must say that I was upset. We have been working very hard and he was condemning us. Now I realise that maybe he never intended to come out so strongly. Maybe he wanted to provoke a thought or discussion and as captain of the ship, I was jealous," Mr Mwanawasa said.
"For sounding cruel, I wish to say that it was not my intention to sound unfriendly to my good friend and I wish to state that nothing between us has changed. In this vain, we had dinner and breakfast together. Maybe what he said has achieved its intention, it has achieved provocation," he said.
Mr Mwanawasa said Government valued the contributions of advisors like Lord Cairns and took outcomes of meetings like the just ended ZIBAC meeting seriously.
Government had also taken note of the resolutions that had been passed at the ZIBAC conference and would follow up the implementation.
Some of the resolutions from the last ZIBAC conference were still in the process of being implemented under the PSRP.
The President called for an investment promotion conference to be held in Zambia next year, saying the last Zambia Business Forum meeting held a few months ago was a disappointment as it was only attended by Government officials.
"They only invited themselves and no one was invited from the private sector. For the future forum, these people must be invited. This country needs to attract more investment especially in the energy sector considering the looming power deficit," he said.
Earlier when addressing the conference, Lord Cairns also apologised for his remarks that Zambia had achieved very little since the last ZIBAC meeting, saying those were his personal views.
"My impressions as a person were based on a superficial view. My sense is that we had a much more vibrant discussion between the public and private sector. There is a shared sense.
"The current view that regulates competition must be taken. My sense too is that Zambia is moving forward. You have an energetic private sector and this place where the conference is being held is a success story and an example for people who are coming," Lord Cairns said.
He, however, said there was an opportunity for Zambia to do more and move forward.
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