Lusaka, August 30, 2019
A major concern around Zambia’s debt situation is that if proper debt management is lacking there is likely to be a continued rapid increase in public debt and this will have dire consequences on the economy and Zambian people. The negative implications of high debt are already being felt through high taxes and fees, tough business climate and deteriorating investments in public services intensifying economic hardships for Zambians.
Based on this CUTS, sees the need to sustain public dialogue on debt and discuss solutions to reverse the country’s debt distress. In order to integrate a regional perspective on the issue, CUTS collaborated with the African Forum on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), a pan African platform and organization for lobbying and advocating for debt cancellation and addressing other debt related issues in Africa.
The symposium brought together different stakeholders from government, think tanks, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, trade unions and the media.