Sanday Chongo Kabange, AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia Photo: Klaartje Jaspers
Zambia has made remarkable progress in the public sector reforms and doing business index according to a latest World Bank report released early September. The Southern African country ranked 100th out of 181 countries globally. It has now moved 16 steps up as against last year's 116th position.
The World Bank representative Kapil Kapool attributed the improvement to the streamlining of the Patents and Companies Registration Office and the computerization of various institutions that facilitate businesses in the country.
He noted that most institutions have improved and reduced their time of operations such as issuing of licenses and registration of companies despite their system of operations remaining the same. However, he said that there is need for Zambia to strive towards reducing the time and costs of exporting and importing goods into the country especially at border posts.
“The delays in exporting and importing goods out and into the country impacts negatively on the competitiveness of both exporters and importers respectively,” Kapool asserted.
