Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane, has implored the private sector to partner with the government towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030.
Mr Musokotwane said the private sector should take advantage of the enabling macro-economic and policy environment to expand their businesses for their own and national optimal profitability.
He said the government and the citizens are depending on the private sector to create meaningful jobs that will reduce poverty and create a hub for industries that will facilitate the development of the country.
He stated that the private sector should also partner with the government to shift towards sustainable production and consumption models for the green economy, which is the only guaranteed way to achieve inclusive and sustainable development for all Zambians.
“The private sector, more especially now when the country is faced with a constrained fiscal position, is key to actualising our envisaged economic transformation and creation of jobs for all Zambians,” Mr Musokotwane said.
Mr Musokotwane said this in speech read on his behalf by his Permanent Secretary in charge of monitoring and evaluation, Trevor Kaunda, during the sensitisation workshop on leveraging private sector engagement in implementing the eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) and achieving the SDGs in Lusaka today.
He added that the successful implementation of the eighth National Development Plan and the SDGs requires the active participation of all national stakeholders.
Speaking at the same event, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa sub regional office for South Africa Director, Eunice Kamwendo, said she was pleased that the 8NDP and the SDG are aligned.
Ms Kamwendo said this means that achieving the 8NDP will amount to achieving the SDGs.
She however noted that achieving the goals is a huge task that must be achieved within eight years.
She said the success of the 8NDP and SDGs hinges critically on constant engagements among stakeholder representatives on policy design, formulation and implementation.
Meanwhile, Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) Chief Executive Officer, Phil Daka, said Zambia must be self-reliant in order to achieve the SDGs.
The two-day workshop is being held under the theme ‘accelerating the recovery from Covid-19 and the full implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development at all levels’.