Zambia is known for its gentle and peaceful people, incredible natural beauty, fertile soil, and vast mineral wealth.

Challenges and Opportunities

With an increase in copper prices and sound macroeconomic policies, Zambia’s economy started rising in the late 1990s and has averaged five to six percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth over the past decade. Impressive macro-level performance, however, belies the reality facing most Zambians. Zambia’s new Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) notes, “the economic growth experienced during the last decade has not translated into significant reductions in poverty and improved general living conditions of the majority of Zambians.” This is particularly true for rural Zambians where 80% of the population lives in poverty, of which 63% live below $1.25 per day. Health and education constraints limit the ability of many Zambians to fully participate in economic opportunity. Of Zambians between the ages of 15-49, 14.3% are HIV positive while nearly half of Zambia’s children under five are stunted. Barely 20% of Zambia’s learners finish secondary school, with girls particularly disadvantaged.

Zambia’s Development Strategy

Zambia’s long-term development strategy is articulated in its own “Vision 2030: A prosperous middleincome nation by 2030.” To reach this objective, the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) has put into place a series of national development plans. The current Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) was just released, encompassing 2011 through 2015. The SNDP has three overarching objectives: infrastructure development, rural development, and human development.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Zambia Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) directly aligns with Zambia’s development goals while supporting U.S. foreign assistance priorities. The CDCS recognizes the cross-cutting nature of Zambia’s development challenges through an integrated and focused approach that targets the greatest opportunities for impact and sustainable success.

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