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Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, is concerned with persistent development issues such as poverty which has remained high in Zambia.
Musokotwane noted that poverty and inequality, for instance, had remained high as revealed in the latest living conditions monitoring survey.
These issues, he emphasised at the Fourth National Development Coordinating Committee (NDCC) Meeting in Lusaka on Friday, needed to be urgently addressed.
He acknowledged that though government’s development efforts were already bearing fruit, there were still some persistent issues that needed to be tackled.
He said this in a speech read on his behalf by Patrick Kangwa, Secretary to the Cabinet.
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“As guided by His Excellency the President during the opening of the third session of the thirteenth National Assembly in September this year, we must build on the socio-economic gains we have thus far recoded for improved livelihoods and a better Zambia.
“There are some persistent development issues that need to be addressed of course. poverty and inequality for instance, remain high as revealed in the latest living conditions monitoring survey,” Musokotwane said.
He also noted that Zambia was still vulnerable to external shocks as seen from the effects of changes in prices of key commodities on the global markets.
Musokotwane said these issues should preoccupy participants in the NDCC meetings.
“We must rally together to address these and other challenges and make more progress in all spheres of development.
“Our commitment must be demonstrated by our actions and the results that we record. I am hopeful that during this meeting, we will have the opportunity to be updated on the progress we are making in this regard,” he said.
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