NATION REPORTER
FINANCE and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane says it has been tough dealing with the abruptness of the cut in the United States’ funding to the health sector.Dr Musokotwane, who was speaking in Livingstone at the Bloomberg-organised Africa Business Media Innovators 2025, says it would been better to be told two years earlier.
Addressing questions during the conference, Dr Musokotwane admitted that donor aid cannot last forever but criticised the manner of the withdrawal.
“It’s been tough dealing with the abruptness of the cut. Of course, everyone knows that aid is not meant to last forever, and at some point we have to become less aid-dependent. But what’s been difficult is how suddenly it’s being implemented. It would have been better to be told two, three, or even four years ahead – but that didn’t happen,” Dr Musokotwane said.
He also noted that the tough US tariffs would hurt Zambia as an exporter of copper.
He ruled out cutting ties with US, insisting that “we will not disengage from US because of this. There are problems but we are hopeful this can be resolved.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Musokotwane has called for a fundamental shift in how the country approaches its mining sector, stressing the urgent need to increase mineral production.Dr. Musokotwane reminded delegates that national prosperity hinges on growth in output – not the preservation of outdated systems. “If we are going to create environments that benefit many people, that only happens when we produce more and more,” he said.
He emphasised that Zambia must move beyond the mindset that simply having copper is enough. “This country will not become wealthy if we keep producing copper in the same quantity as we did in 1964,” he warned.
