TACKLING HUGE DEBT IS PRIORITY, SAYS HH
By NATION REPORTER
GOVERNMENT will focus on dismantling the huge debt burden to deliver development, President Hakainde Hichilema has said.
President Hichilema said the huge debt burden the country was faced with was taking away resources meant for development.
He however said his administration was determined to dismantle the debt.
The Head of State this at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington DC yesterday.
“We inherited a huge debt and its taking away resources meant for development. So our focus will be on dismantling the debt,” he said
And President Hichilema said the developed countries should help Third World countries deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said failure to do so would lead to Third World countries becoming hosts to new strains of the coronavirus.
The President has since encouraged the developed world to help developing countries vaccinate their people against the virus.
President Hichilema called for concerted and enhanced global efforts towards promoting investments particularly in local manufacturing capacity and technology transfer on Covid-19 vaccines, related infrastructure, human capital as well as research and development.
He said the pandemic has had a far reaching socio-economic impact globally, including, disturbing trade flows, supply chains and various economic activities.
“In addition to loss of lives, the pandemic increased poverty levels through job losses, stressed healthcare systems and worse still, the delivery of education to learners,” President Hichilema said.