Andris Piebalgs, who was then the EU commissioner for development, with Fredson Yamba, secretary to the treasury at Zambia's Ministry of Finance, during the signing of the EU's latest national indicative program for Zambia. Photo by: European Commission
A middle-income country, Zambia is considered among the strong performers in the southern African region, maintaining an average 5.7 percent growth rate from 2002 to 2012.
Despite stable economic growth, development has not been inclusive. According to the European Union, 42 percent of the population still lives in extreme poverty. Incidence is significantly higher in rural areas where two-thirds of Zambians reside — an alarming 58 percent.
