• Single licensing will facilitate the provision of coordinated and streamlined regulatory services.
• This would result in reduced turnaround times and costs of compliance for business.
• This is in line with government’s commitment to improve the business and investment climate.

Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry says Business Regulatory Review Agency will ensure roll out of the single licensing system for the Tourism Sector across Zambia by end December 2022.

Chipoka Mulenga revealed that once the single licensing system for the tourism sector is implemented, it will be rolled out to other sectors, which include edible oils, dairy and fisheries.

Mr. Mulenga explained that single licensing will facilitate the provision of coordinated and streamlined regulatory services by public bodies and regulatory agencies for business.

He explained this would result in reduced turnaround times and costs of compliance for business.

The Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry indicated that the ministry is committed to implementation of the single licensing system through enhance collaboration with all public bodies and regulatory agencies with technical assistance from Business Regulatory Review Agency, to roll out the implementation of the single licensing system in a phased approach beginning with Livingstone, the tourist capital.

“In close collaboration with the ministry of tourism, commence the processing of licences, permits, certificates, authorizations and any other requirement through a single licensing system as provided for under the business regulatory act, no. 3 of 2014,” he said this would be be achieved by 31st December.

“Transform, in collaboration with the ministry of tourism, the Livingstone regulatory services centre into a single regulatory point in the interim, while a fully electronic system is being developed,” the Minister added, indicating that all applications shall, be lodged at the Livingstone regulatory services center effective June 2022.

Mr. Mulenga explained that his ministry had continued to receive complaints from private sector players on the existence of costly and overly bureaucratic business licensing and regulatory frameworks.

He disclosed that the complaints included cumbersome, uncoordinated licensing procedures and processes, as well as, duplication of licenses among other issues highlighting that the tourism sector was one of the most affected by these challenges, with not less than fifty regulatory frameworks to be adhered to for various tourism activities.

According to him, “to address this matter, the ministry is committed towards actualizing a single licensing system.”

“A single licensing system is a system designed to facilitate compliance with multiple licensing requirements by multiple regulatory bodies for a sector or a group of businesses in a sector through a single regulatory point in order to reduce the cost of compliance as provided for under the business regulatory act.” The Minster of Commerce Trade and Industry defined.

Chipoka Mulenga explained this was in line with government’s commitment to improve the business and investment climate as the tourism sector has been targeted as one of the key sectors of the economy requiring urgent attention as it also been one of the most affected by covid-19 pandemic.

He stressed that the tourism sector by its very nature necessitates compliance with more than one regulatory agency as a single establishment in the tourism and hospitality sector may be engaged in more than accommodation, restaurant and bar (food and beverages), game viewing (safaris), angling, boat cruises among others.

The Minister noted that some of these activities take place in protected areas such as national parks and heritage sites which further increases the number of regulatory agencies and requirements to operate a tourism and hospitality establishment.

He had since stated that government through the ministry of commerce, trade and industry, line ministries and specialized agencies is committed to improving the business and investment climate by reducing transaction costs of doing business in Zambia.

“My ministry has been reviewing regulations affecting business and investment, re-engineering business start-up processes and increasing collaboration between regulatory agencies in order to reduce the cost of doing business in Zambia,” said Mr. Mulenga.