ZFE and DECP to enhance lobbying efforts

The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) and the Dutch Employers Cooperation Programme (DECP) will focus on increasing ZFE’s strength as a lobby organisation. Reinforcing ZFE’s lobbying processes and structures will be one of the key elements of the ZFE-DECP working plan for 2014 and beyond.

ZFE has made a lot of progress in the last few years and has been recognized by the Zambian government of Michael Sata as a leading representative of the Zambian business community. Zambia’s tripartite consultation model demands an increasing effort on behalf of ZFE and further broadening of ZFE’s scope, especially on economic topics. An increased effort in research and other ways of fact finding will be a key part of the plans.

The intention to focus on lobbying  follows an assessment of ZFE’s strengths and weaknesses  carried out by DECP special advisor Jannes van der Velde. He recently visited the new ZFE headquarters in Lusaka’s Olympia Park, an area with offices and embassies, near the main road from the city to Lusaka International Airport.