Country Info: Zambia
Economic Background
Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent years, with real GDP growth in 2005-12 more than 6% per year. Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly increased copper mining output and profitability to spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and foreign investment.
In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of approximately US$6 billion in debt relief.
Poverty remains a significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy.
Zambia's dependency on copper makes it vulnerable to depressed commodity prices, but record high copper prices and a bumper maize crop in 2010 helped Zambia rebound quickly from the world economic slowdown that began in 2008.
Zambia has made some strides to improve the ease of doing business. A high birth rate, relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, and market distorting agricultural policies have meant that Zambia's economic growth has not dramatically decreased the stubbornly high poverty rate. (Source: World Factbook, 2013)
Selection of document downloads
Zambia - UPDATED National AGOA Strategy 2018-2025
This AGOA Response Strategy and Work Plan for Zambia has been prepared to assist policy makers and the private sector to take advantage of opportunities offered by the AGOA facility, while consolidating export capacities at the regional level.
Zambia - National AGOA Strategy
The team identified four areas for consideration that would assist Zambia in implementing the AGOA strategy. Governance: Zambia would benefit from establishing an AGOA Steering Committee consisting of key stakeholders from specific private sector organisations, industry associations, and government agencies. Education and Outreach: Zambia should promote opportunities for educating businesses about AGOA. With that intent, a...
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Zambia urged to benefit from AGOA
Zambia needs to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as it still possesses opportunity for economic growth. Since its inception in 2000, AGOA has given duty-free and quota-free access to the United States market on about 6,000 products from qualifying African countries, including Zambia. Speaking at the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA)-sponsored...
Zambia: ‘Regional integration vital for growth’
Zambia will continue strengthening its participation in regional economic integration and trade investment platforms because the agenda will promote the country’s industrialisation efforts, a senior Government official has said. Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Kayula Siame also said there is need for continued private sector sensitisation on...
Zambia: AGOA strategy development initiative completed
The six month AGOA Strategy Development Initiative headed by the Honorary Consul of Zambia in California, Robert Sichinga Jnr and a team from the UCLA Anderson School of Management is complete and the final report was sent to the Zambia Development Agency. The final presentation was made at the UCLA Anderson School of Management on Friday March 11th in the presence of...
COMESA: AGOA-US exports swell to $17 billion
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) exports to America under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) has amounted to US$17 billion. The exports through the COMESA eligible countries amounted to $17.3 billion by November 2015. COMESA secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya said the United States-COMESA Trade and Investments Framework Agreement (TIFA) provides...
US urges Zambia to diversify
The US government says the recent slump in copper prices serves as a timely reminder for Zambia to diversify its economy. US Ambassador to Zambia Eric Shultz says serious efforts must be taken to shift the economy to agriculture, tourism and power generation. Speaking when he officiated at the eighth US-COMESA consultative trade meeting, Ambassador Shultz also urged member...
Zambia to boost AGOA with strategy
Zambia has developed a strategy to help local exporters increase penetration of the United States of America market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The National Response Strategy which has cost US$100,000 will be implemented to address the difficulties that Zambian companies faced in accessing the US market in the last 15 years of utilising the...
US-Zambia agricultural trade drops in 2014
Bilateral trade in agricultural products between Zambia and the United States dropped significantly in 2014, the Times of Zambia reported on Friday. Agricultural trade between the two countries dropped to 504,000 U.S. dollars from 732,000 dollars representing a 32 percent reduction, the paper said, quoting a report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The statement...
Zambia: Government, COMESA act to boost AGOA exports
The Government in collaboration with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has put in place a committee which will look at ways and means of increasing exports to the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) market in the United States of America(USA). Commerce Trade and Industry Minister Bob Sichinga said there were a number of issues that needed to be...
Zambia: ZAM calls for incentives to utilise AGOA
The Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) has called for incentives that will improve Zambia's chances of penetrating the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) apparel market. ZAM chief executive officer Maybin Nsupila said predictable economic policies were imperative if the country's chances of penetrating the United States (US) AGOA market were to brighten. Mr...
American Chamber to lobby for AGOA extension
The American Chamber of Commerce in Zambia is planning to partner with the Zambian business community to lobby for extension of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2015. Chamber executive director John Payne said AGOA was important for the strengthening of business engagements for both Zambia and the United States (US) hence, ...
Zambia: Government, stakeholders' AGOA review timely
Government's initiative to engage the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) and other stakeholders to review the country's performance under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) duty-free export market, underscores the importance it attaches to the development of the manufacturing industry. Its concern emanates from Zambia's failure to export products to the...