The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Charter Cities Institute (CCI) to increase the competitiveness and enhance the performance of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to better attract investments, create jobs, and accelerate inclusive and sustained economic growth through devolved governance and partnerships with the private sector.
The two institutions agreed to work together in re-imagining special economic zones as special economic cities with greater devolved authority to create their own governance system that addresses major barriers to growth and responds to evolving needs benchmarked on the charter city model.
The agreement is further provided for undertaking suitable reforms to create an enabling environment and putting in place systems and structures to reduce bureaucracy and improve doing business in MFEZs, industrial parks, farm blocks, and new city developments; and increase competitiveness, investments, and job creation.
In addition, the two institutions will collaborate in providing research and technical assistance on special economic zone laws and regulations to enable Zambia attract high-impact private investments into target jurisdictions competitively.
Commenting on the MoU, ZDA Director General Albert Halwampa commended CCI for the initiative to transform SEZs to charter cities.
Mr. Halwampa noted that there was need to modernise and build new cities in Zambia so that they can compete favourably with other cities in the sub region.
He pledged the Agency’s support to Charter City Institute in building new cities using the concept of Special Economic Zones thereby making them more attractive to investors thereby creating more jobs.
“The signing of this MoU is evidence that the Agency ready to work with in actualising your dreams of building charter cities in Zambia,” stated Mr. Halwampa.
Meanwhile, CCI Executive Director Kurtis Lockhart said his organisation is eager to work with the government of the republic of Zambia and ZDA in particular to build new cities and work on guidelines that will increase the competitiveness and enhance the performance of the Special Economic Zones.
Mr. Lockhart further revealed that his organisation already has clearance to pilot a few charter cities around the country.
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Issued by:
Russel Haamubbi
Acting Manager Communications and Public Relations,
Zambia Development Agency,
Privatization House, Nasser Rd,
Lusaka.
Telephone: +260-211-220177/222858
Email: Russel.Haamubbi@zda.org.zm
About the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) www.zda.org.zm
The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is Zambia’s premier economic development Agency with a multifaceted mandate of promoting and facilitating trade, investment and business development in the country. The Agency is also responsible for building and enhancing the country’s investment profile for increased capital inflows, capital formation and employment creation.
About Charter Cities Institute Zambia (CCI) https://chartercitiesinstitute.org/
CCI Zambia was launched in 2021 to help advance the charter cities movement in Zambia and across the continent. The objective of the office is to work collaboratively with the Zambian Government and key stakeholders to create an enabling environment for establishing charter cities in Zambia by leveraging the existing Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) program. We’re already working with the private sector, governments and local authorities, think tanks, civil society, associations, and other interested stakeholders to bring the charter city development model to Africa.
