VZCZCXRO5592
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHLMC RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #0792/01 3160513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120513Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7424
INFO RUCNMCM/MCC COMPACT COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 000792 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ZA
SUBJECT: IMF SEES TALL 'GREEN SHOOTS' WITH SHALLOW ROOTS IN 
ZAMBIA 
 
REF: A. LUSAKA 571 
     ¶B. LUSAKA 749 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (U) At the conclusion of a two-week IMF mission to Lusaka 
on October 28, mission chief George Tsibouris told donors 
that the Zambian economy is performing better than expected 
and that the IMF now expects real GDP growth to exceed 5 
percent in 2009, up from an August estimate of 4 percent (Ref 
A).  The IMF expects similar GDP growth in 2010.  Inflation, 
at 13 percent in September, is projected to fall to 12 
percent by the end of the year. (Note: October statistics 
released after the IMF team's departure reported October 
inflation at 12.3 percent.)  Zambia's reserves are at a 
healthy USD 1.75 billion, including over USD 600 million in 
IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), and the government has a 
manageable debt load.  Tsibouris cautioned that, while Zambia 
recovered quickly from the global economic downturn, the GRZ 
must address structural weaknesses to strengthen the 
economy's ability to weather the next downturn.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ZAMBIA'S FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On October 28, IMF mission chief George Tsibouris 
briefed donors on the results of the Fund's two-week mission 
for the 2009 Article IV consultations with the Zambian 
government (GRZ) and for the third review of Zambia's Poverty 
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF).  Tsibouris reported 
that the Zambian economy was performing surprisingly well and 
that GDP growth would likely exceed 5 percent in both 2009 
and 2010.  A sharp rebound in global copper prices and a 
bumper maize crop helped to turn the economy around. 
Tsibouris also praised the GRZ's fiscal discipline in the 
face of falling government revenues and the Bank of Zambia's 
(BOZ) efforts to "smooth" the Kwacha's slide, which he said 
acted as a shock absorber for the economy.  October inflation 
was at 12.3 percent, helped primarily by lower food prices, 
reduced imports and a somewhat stronger Kwacha.  Tsibouris 
expected end of year inflation to be 12 percent, with 
inflation falling to about 8 percent by the end of 2010. 
 
¶3. (U) The IMF reported that it had included in its 2010 
program for Zambia up to USD 600 million in non-concessionary 
borrowing to fund energy and other infrastructure projects. 
Tsibouris explained that a prohibition on non-concessionary 
borrowing was too inflexible and that Zambia's debt capacity 
could comfortably absorb the non-concessionary debt.  An IMF 
debt sustainability analysis determined that Zambia's debt, 
including GRZ debt, projected non-concessionary debt, and 
contingent liabilities such as pension obligations equaled 
approximately 25 percent of GDP.  Preliminary results from a 
range of standard systemic downside scenarios showed that 
Zambia's debt load did not exceed 40 percent of GDP under any 
of the shock tests. 
 
¶4. (U)  Zambia's foreign reserves are at a record USD 1.75 
billion, the highest level in 40 years.  In July 2009, after 
spending considerable reserves to smooth Kwacha volatility 
during the economic downturn, the GRZ reported only USD 750 
million in reserves.  Total reserves include approximately 
USD 600 million in SDRs and represent more than four months 
of import coverage.  The IMF expects modest reserve growth in 
¶2010. 
 
ADDRESS STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5. (U) While the IMF concluded that Zambia's economic outlook 
was good, Tsibouris cautioned that structural weaknesses that 
increased economic uncertainty still needed to be addressed 
to ensure that economic growth would be sustainable.  Key 
challenges include public sector spending on infrastructure 
and the social sector to diversify the economy and reduce 
poverty.  Until Zambia can diversify its economy, it will 
still be beholden to global copper prices and mother nature. 
 
¶6. (U) The IMF based its 2010 program on the 2010 GRZ budget 
now being discussed in Parliament (Ref B).  The budget 
includes almost USD 200 million in donor budget support 
(almost 6 percent of the total 2010 budget) that has not yet 
been approved by cooperating partners (CPs). Tsibouris 
reported that the IMF was not considering making up any 
revenue shortfall if donors withhold some level of assistance 
in 2010 and, given Zambia's economic performance and 
strengthening balance of payments, PRGF augmentation was 
unlikely as well.  If donors did not come through, Tsibouris 
concluded, the IMF would look to the GRZ for some budget 
revisions. 
 
LUSAKA 00000792  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) Tsibouris emphasized the need for the GRZ to focus on 
revenue collection, which has been deteriorating as a 
percentage of GDP.  The GRZ intends to look closely at its 
tax policies and implementation in 2010 and make reforms to 
reverse the negative trendline.  In the interim, the 2010 
budget assumes a modest revenue collection improvement from 
15.7 percent to 15.9 percent of GDP.  In the past, 
infrastructure spending has usually been the first victim of 
revenue shortfalls. 
 
¶8. (U) In the financial sector, the IMF is looking to the 
Bank of Zambia (BOZ) to play a more active role in improving 
systemic weaknesses.  To free up liquidity in the market, the 
BOZ should work to develop a secondary market for treasury 
bills and create overnight lending facilities for banks to 
lessen their perceived need to hoard liquidity.  The IMF team 
also concluded that the BOZ should create the capacity to be 
the lender of last resort for the Zambian financial system to 
be able to confront systemic crises. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (U) Tsibouris was surprisingly upbeat, and caught many of 
the gathered donors off guard (not us) with the IMF's rosy 
outlook for Zambia's economy.  We continue to expect the 
Zambian economy to perform well so long as copper prices 
remain high and the rains arrive on time, and in sufficient 
volume, for the maize growing season.  Unfortunately, 
Zambia's strong economic performance could cause the GRZ's 
focus on economic diversification to flounder as it has 
during past periods of robust copper-fueled economic growth. 
BOOTH