Zambia pledges to continue with business reforms to remain competitive

The Zambian government said Thursday that it will continue reforming the country's business environment in order to make the country more competitive on the international market.

Kayula Siame, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary said there was need to continue with business reforms, because the reforming process was not an event but an ongoing process meant to position the country on the global stage.

Zambia, she said, has dropped four places on the 2017 Ease of Doing Business Index ranking and was now ranked 9th in Africa and 5th in both the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The country is also ranked 98th out of the 190 countries worldwide, she added.

The official, in remarks delivered during a breakfast meeting to announce the hosting of the Ease of Doing Business Initiative Conference, attributed the drop in ranking to the country relaxing in business reforms.

According to her, business reforms were key for private sector development.

The conference, to be held from May 16 to 18, 2017, in the southern city of Livingstone will be attended by 300 participants from 30 countries.

Kenya hosted the 2016 conference.

The conference is meant to strengthen partnership between the private and the public sector. Endit