Lusaka — The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Southern Africa Office (SA) will launch the Zambia STEPS Profile and 2017 Country Profiles for Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe on 9 August 2018 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Lusaka, Zambia.
The 2017 CPs are the third generation in the production of this publication. The 1st generation of CPs for Southern Africa produced in 2015 and launched in 2016 covered five countries; Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and the 2nd generation in 2016 covered; Angola, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. The 2017 CPs provide updates on socio-economic developments in; Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. The CPs are compiled using national data and are intended to provide periodic assessments of socio-economic developments in member States focusing on policy analysis, regional integration, and economic transformation and gender and development.
The profiles provide recommendations to stakeholders to address challenges identified through the analyses and complement ongoing efforts by the Commission to improve the collection and use of statistical data on the continent.
The Zambia STEPS profile provides a comprehensive assessment of structural transformation (ST) in the country through an analysis of the dynamic interaction of three elements: employment (E), production (P), and society (S) in influencing the socio-economic development and proffers policy recommendations to address the challenges identified through the analyses.
The ECA STEPS profile disseminate country and regional policy analyses on structural transformation with a view to promoting sustainable economic and social development in member States. They provide valuable data and are intended to be the first reference for anyone seeking a concise and comprehensive assessment of structural transformation on the continent at the country level. Building on the original ECA Country Profiles, the STEPS profiles sharpen the focus on structural transformation in a manner consistent with ECA's mandate to support member States' efforts to achieve structural transformation.
Overall, the assessment in STEPS focuses on the need to transform economic and social structures within member States, with employment playing a key role in linking economic growth (production) and social development (society) - in both directions. The main areas analyzed are labour productivity, decent work, and education and skills diversification, linkages, and technology; and demography, health, and poverty and inequality under the three focus areas of employment, production, and society.
The launch, to be organized in collaboration with the Zambia Central Statistical Office, will be attended by government representatives, academics, representatives of industry, cooperating partners, COMESA, students and representatives of the Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe Embassies and High Commissions.
