ZAMBIA GRATEFUL TO WORLD BANK FOR PPP FRAMEWORK

Government says it remains committed to ensuring that the private sector plays a key role in the country’s infrastructure development under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework.

Director of PPP Unit at the Ministry of Finance Keeta Shisholeka said government is fully committed to realizing its agenda for private sector participation in infrastructure and social service distribution.

Mr. Shisholeka said this during the launch of the World Bank report on Zambia’s readiness diagnostic for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Project pipeline screening report.

He said the report reviews the country willingness and analytic for public-private partnerships which has been prepared as part of the World Bank and international finance cooperation support to the infrastructure development in the country.

The PPP Unit Director added that, the diagnostic report is an assessment of Zambia’s site legally procured as well as the assessment of the country’s readiness to implement the PPPs.

Mr. Shisholeka said the report will help determine which areas require amendments or improvement by reviewing the current PPP environment in the country and comparing it to global international best practices.

He reiterated that government is committed to the development of the PPPs by putting in place a proactive PPP policy, enacting appropriate PPP legislation, and establishing and operationalizing the PPP Unit to create an enabling environment for private sector participation in delivering public infrastructure projects.

Mr. Shisholeka thanked the World Bank group for assisting Zambia to review the PPP framework in order to promote private sector participation in financing development projects and infrastructure.