PRESIDENT HICHILEMA SAYS HE WAS NEVER AFRAID OF LOSING POPULARITY OVER IMF ENGAGEMENT
By Chamuka Shalubala
President Hakainde Hichilema says he was never afraid of being unpopular with voters when engaging the international monetary fund –IMF- to support Zambian programmes.
Delivering a key note speech at the ongoing Mining Indaba in South Africa this morning, President Hichilema emphasized that Africa must change the narrative of relying on IMF-constructed programmes.
With Zambia’s 38-month IMF programme completed and six reviews passed, President Hichilema says there is need for a growth-supporting programme, particularly for the mining sector.
He has called for country-led initiatives, saying it has to be the other way round where countries construct programmes and ask the IMF to support such programmes.
And President Hichilema also highlighted Zambia’s aim to achieve 1 million metric tons of copper production this year and urged African countries to get organized, stating that only Africans can accelerate their own growth agenda.
PHOENIX NEWS