By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
PREPARATIONS to host the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings have reached an advanced stage, with Cabinet constituting a committee of permanent secretaries chaired by the Secretary to the Treasury.

. YAMBA

Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba said this at a joint Press briefing with the AfDB held at the ministry of Finance in Lusaka yesterday.
The briefing was meant to appraise the nation on the progress made towards the hosting of the AfDB annual meetings from May 23 to 27, this year.
A group of about 10 experts from the AfDB arrived in the country to conduct the final assessment on Zambia’s preparedness to host its annual meetings.
The cost of hosting the meetings are being shared with the AfDB, while private sector organisations are sponsoring different components such as official lunches and the State banquet.
The meetings would be attended by approximately 4, 000 delegates, including some serving and former Heads of State.
Other high-level delegates would be business leaders, academicians and civil society members.
Mr Yamba said to support the permanent secretaries was the national organising committee (NOC) composed of nine sub-committees which had been tasked with the mandate of spearheading the technical preparations for the biggest financial and economic sector event to be held on the African soil.
“Further, to ensure that there are coordinated efforts in the preparations and handling of the meetings, Government has recruited an event management firm which, among other tasks, is providing logistical support,” he said.
Under tourism and hospitality, Mr Yamba said hotels had been secured and delegates had since started making bookings, with a total of 2, 630 bed spaces having been reserved so far with the top hotels and lodges.
He said the number of online bookings to date was 825, including 650 rooms reserved for the AfDB, while the remaining number of rooms was reserved for other delegates.
Mr Yamba said the main venue, Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, had been rehabilitated and was ready to host the meetings.
He implored Zambians in the hospitality industry and the provision of other services to take advantage of the meetings by taking keen interest to showcase their products at the venue.
AfDB vice-president Nwabufo Nnenna said the bank, which was created in 1964, provided US$112 billion of loans and grants through 4, 370 operations at the end of 2015.
She said $8.8 billion loans and grants were approved in 240 operations, mainly in infrastructure projects.
Ms Nnenna hailed the Zambian Government, and President Edgar Lungu in particular, for allowing the bank to host its meetings in Zambia.
“We are glad that the Government invited the bank and other participants to come and experience the Zambian hospitality,” she said.