Lungu appeals to IMF team for tips on economy
Right now we are thinking what measures have the IMF brought, what proposals are they making? I am glad that we are still going through the numbers and at the end of the tour of duty certainly something will come up.
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has appealed to International Monetary Fund to help government with the measures to be put in place in order to take the economy to the higher heights.
Government and IMF are in discussions on the need to finalise the programme.
The Head of State said there was need for the two parties to be advising each other and continue cooperating in order to move the economy to higher heights.
He said it was prudent that the economy improved significantly so that it can be suitable to every player in the economy.
President Lungu was speaking yesterday at State House when the IMF delegation which is on six day scoping mission paid a courtesy call on him.
The Head of State said the IMF should give specific measures that could be applied in order to improve the economy.
“Right now we are thinking what measures have the IMF brought, what proposals are they making? I am glad that we are still going through the numbers and at the end of the tour of duty certainly something will come up,” he said.
President Lungu said that the nation was anxiously waiting to hear from the IMF the specific measures that should be put in place in order to improve the economy.
Finance Minister Bwalya Ng’andu said the three man IMF delegation which is the country for six day scoping mission want to access the economic situation thereby enter into a programme.
He emphasised that if the engagements between government and the IMF were productive, they would enter into a programme.
He was speaking to journalists yesterday at State House shortly after the IMF delegation paid a courtesy call on
President Edgar Lungu.
And IMF Advisor in African Department, DAN Ghura said that the country’s economy had extremely gone down due to the severe drought which had negatively affected most sectors of the economy.
He said the government was aware of the situation, therefore, needed to find measures to address it in order to restore the economy.
“The economic growth has gone down because of severe drought that has suffocated agriculture, economic activities,” he said.
Mr Ghuru also indicated that the low copper prices on the international market had contributed to the economic woes.