ZAMBIA DROPS 4 PLACES ON EASE OF DOING BUSINESS INDEX.

Zambia has dropped 4 places on the 2017 Ease of Doing Business Index, ranking 9^th in Africa, 5^th in SADC and COMESA respectively.

This has culminated into Zambia ranking 98 out of 190 countries worldwide.

And Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry Permanent secretary Kayula Siame says there is need to build a strong partnership between government and the private sector.

Ms. Kayula says government alone cannot be in position to address the challenges associated with the drop in the ranking.

She was speaking during the preparatory dialogue breakfast meeting with the private sector ahead of the Ease of Doing Business Initiative Conference to be hosted by Zambia.

The conference will be held from 16^th to 18^th May 2017 in Livingstone’s Avani Hotel under the theme ‘Doing Business Reforms for Industrialization, Value Addition and Job Creation.

And Ms. Kayula says the forthcoming conference will create a platform for strengthening partnership between government and the private sector as well as appreciate the methodo0lgy used in Ease of Doing Business ranking.

Ministry of Commence, Trade and Industry Permanent secretary Kayula Siame says private sector contributions to sustainable development hold key to driving Zambia’s growth.

Meanwhile Ms. Siame says there is need to improve business environment through replication of best practices, best reforms and ideas as they are a key drivers of the Zambian economy.