LUSAKA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Thursday that it has not yet provided final data to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on its efforts to rein in on the debt situation.
Last week, the IMF refuted reports that it has received data from the Zambian government on reconciliation of debt figures.
This followed a statement issued by Fredson Yamba Secretary to the Treasury that a team from the IMF would be in Zambia to hold talks on a possible bailout package following government's successful submission of data that the international lender had requested for.
But Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe told journalists on Thursday that while the government has taken measures to reign in on fiscal slippages related to debt, the final data has not yet been given to the IMF.
"These measures are now being incorporated in our fiscal and debt position for 2018 and over the medium term. It is this data that once completed will be given to the IMF to assess our adjustment and get their feedback as to the appropriateness of the measures for macroeconomic sustainability," she said during a press briefing.
Whilst we have shared the raw data, the adjustment data has not yet been provided to the IMF as our team is still working through it, she added.
She however said the government will now refrain from making public statements on the issue until it has a firm position with the IMF.
Zambia has been struggling to get an IMF bailout package from the IMF estimated to be around 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, with the international lender expressing concern over the country's debt situation.
It later suspended the talks with Zambia.
Meanwhile, the Zambian government was still optimistic that the annual projection of the revised economic growth of above 4 percent will be attained.
The Zambian minister said real sector indicators were showing a rise in economic activity in the first half of 2018.
She said this was on account of positive growth in mining, tourism and construction sectors, supported by a stable power supply and stable global developments.
