ActionAid Zambia has welcomed the recent appreciation of the Zambian Kwacha, which has been cited as one of the best-performing currencies globally, with a year-on-year appreciation of 14.2 percent against the US dollar.
ActionAid Zambia Country Director Faides TembaTemba commended Government for efforts to stabilise key macroeconomic indicators but stressed that these gains must translate into tangible relief for ordinary citizens.
Although inflation has eased, it remains at 9.4 percent, still above the Bank of Zambia’s target range of 6–8 percent, meaning households continue to face high prices and cost-of-living pressures.
The organisation noted that fiscal consolidation measures under the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme have created additional strain, particularly through cost-reflective electricity tariffs that have pushed power prices beyond the reach of many vulnerable households.
ActionAid Zambia pointed out that poverty levels stood at 64.3 percent in 2022, with a significant portion of the population living on less than US$2.15 per day.
The organisation has urged Government to leverage favourable conditions—including good rainfall and high copper prices—to tackle persistent high living costs, rising poverty, and widening inequality.
Following the sixth review of the IMF programme, ActionAid called on Government to safeguard social spending, reduce inequality, and resist austerity measures that could undermine public services and human rights.
The organisation emphasised that economic recovery must be people-centred, stating that a strong Kwacha only has meaning if it improves citizens’ daily lives.
