• The IMF deal has been very positive since the new dawn government started to discuss this.
• It looks very positive that this will go through.
• There are a number of Creditors that Zambia need to be able to agree with before the IMF can give its position.

An Economist is optimistic that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will soon be finalized.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Trevor Hambayi said the IMF has been very positive from the time the new administration started discussions on the bailout package and it looks very positive that it will go through.
Mr. Hambayi however stated that the deal may not be finalized this month, as it is likely to take another two months before the country is able to get to a position where the IMF agrees to extend the facility in view of the due process of having to negotiate with the Creditors.
“The IMF deal has been very positive since the new dawn government started to discuss this and it looks very positive that this will go through.”
“It is obviously not going to happen in June, it’s going to take slightly longer than this and I expect it to have at least another two months before we are able to get to a position where the IMF is agreeable to having to extend this facility because of the due process of having to negotiate with the Creditors.”
He noted that there are a number of Creditors that Zambia need to be able to agree before the IMF can give its position.
On Thursday, Government presented the country’s official creditors with plan for getting its debt under control, requesting assurances of help from them in order to unlock an International Monetary Fund (IMF) package worth US$1.4 billion.
Zambia, which is seeking relief on more than US$17 billion of external debt, held its first meeting with official creditors last week, and the IMF urged the Creditors to give assurances on their treatment of the country’s debt as a precondition of its support.