Saturday, 17 October 2026 | Lusaka, Zambia | All times CAT
Updated 8 minutes ago Topics Journalists Our network Advertise
Lakatips Sourcing the truth from every corner of Zambia

Lakatips

For Zambian newsrooms

Your reporting, credited and linked back

Join the newsrooms whose work reaches readers through Lakatips — your name on every story, and a route straight back to you.

Our network
Just in

Politics

HH courts IMF on Grow Zambia Agenda

CHOMBA MUSIKA Lusaka AS THE country seeks to further expand economically, President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the Grow Zambia Agenda, which seeks to generate US$65 billion in annual monetary value. Mr Hichilema said a new programme with…

HH courts IMF on Grow Zambia Agenda

Picture: Zambia Daily Mail

CHOMBA MUSIKA

Lusaka

AS THE country seeks to further expand economically, President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the Grow Zambia Agenda, which seeks to generate US$65 billion in annual monetary value.

Mr Hichilema said a new programme with the IMF will be complementary to the country’s growth agenda.

The head of State said this yesterday in a message posted on his Facebook page after meeting IMF mission chief for Zambia Edward Gemayel.

Lakatips

The morning briefing

Zambia’s news, before your first meeting

One email each morning with the headlines that matter, from every newsroom we follow. Free, and one click to stop.

Sign up free

“Today (yesterday), we met the IMF mission chief for Zambia, Mr Edward Gemayel, and his team, who are in the country to discuss a successor economic programme.

“Our previous programme with the IMF was successfully concluded in January 2026,” Mr Hichilema said.

The President said he used the meeting to reiterate that growth is critical to Zambia’s economy.

“A new programme with the IMF is complementary to our Grow Zambia Agenda, and we called on the Fund to support it,” Mr Hichilema said.

He said he also bade farewell to the outgoing IMF resident representative, Eric Lautie, who has concluded his tour of duty, commending him for his service to Zambia.

“We welcomed his successor, Mr Reginald Darius. The IMF remains a key partner in our development agenda,” Mr Hichilema said.

Zambia’s 38-month IMF supported Extended Credit Facility (ECF) approved at US$1.3 billion concluded on January 27, 2026 after six reviews.

Government is currently engaging with IMF on a successor programme following the completion of its previous ECDF arrangement.

Last month, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning announced that Government started discussions with an IMF mission on a successor programme to build on restored macroeconomic stability while accelerating investment, exports, diversification and job creation. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home

Source: Zambia Daily Mail — Read more

More to read

All Politics →

U.s. Tightens Visa Rules for Zambians

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says some Zambians are restricted from entering the United States under new travel measures that took effect on January 1, 2026. The restrictions affect people applying for immigrant visas and certain non-immigrant visas, including those for business…

Diamond TV • • 1 min read
One-time sign-up

Keep reading at Zambia Daily Mail

Lakatips is free, and it stays free. Sign up once and we will send you through to Zambia Daily Mail — and to every other newsroom in the network after that, without asking again.

We use your details for the morning briefing and to tell newsrooms how many readers we send them — never as a list to be sold on. See our privacy policy.