PRIVATE SECTOR GOOD FOR INDUSTRY DIRECTION-MWANAKATWE
By BUSINESS REPORTER GOVERNMENT says regular meetings between them and the private sector are vital in providing policy and industry direction in the business sector.
Finance Minister Margret Mwanakatwe said consultative meetings between the business community and the Government helped to bringing into perspective the country’s development agenda.
The minister was speaking in a speech read for her by her permanent secretary for budget and economic affairs, Emmanuel Mulenga during the COMESA round table discussion on “industry competitiveness in Zambia: focus on finance tax and trade policies held in Lusaka yesterday.
Ms. Mwanakatwe said the Zambian economy has over the last decade experienced steady increase in growth in key sectors that included mining, agriculture, manufacturing and construction. She said if Zambia was to attain the set out industrlisation agenda and embrace regional trade, there was need for increased dialogue with the private sector.
“As Government we support and welcome such initiatives which are vital in providing policy and industry perspective to broad development and growth.
I therefore commend the private sector for taking the leading role in attaining this development in fostering dialogue on pertinent issues affecting the competitiveness of the local industry,” she said.
Ms. Mwanakatwe said Government recognized the need to facilitate a sustainable investment environment through impactful economic policy and reforms targeting at fostering an enabling climate.
She said the Government’s efforts were beginning to bear fruits as was evident by the county’s improved ease of doing business.
And the Zambia Association of Manufactures, president Rosetta Chabala said the impediments of business at national and regional level needed to be urgently addressed.
Ms. Chabala said access to finance is one of the elaborated business impediments globally.
“Notably financial regulation tax policy and trade policies are some of essential regulations that affect industry competitiveness,” she said.