News, Page 4

We have reviewed the membership category criteria and subscription rates for 2016. Taking into account practices adopted by other organisations as well as changes in the value of the Kwacha, we have increased the category bands for Small companies to revenues of less than K5m a year, for Medium companies to revenues from greater than K5m and less than K50m and for Large companies to revenues greater than K50m. Subscription rate increases have been kept to between 25% and 33%. in Kwacha terms but a reduction in USD terms.  The new criteria and rates are set out in the downloadable application form.

Subscriptions can be paid electronically or by leaving a cheque at the offices of Knight Frank next to the Ministry of Finance. Please ensure all payments show your company’s name

As a special offer we are offering a 10% discount on the new rates for new subscriptions and renewals paid before 31 December 2015. If you need an invoice please let us know and we will send you one.  Current members do not need to complete another application form but merely make payment identifying the company.

Visit the Membership Page to download the application form.

CAROLINE KALOMBE, Lusaka

EUROPEAN Union Head of Delegation Alessandro Mariani says his organisation has set aside 40 million euros to improve the regulatory framework as a way of supporting the private sector.

Mr Mariani said in Lusaka on Thursday the money is meant to boost private sector participation in the economy and foster its role in poverty reduction through job creation.

He was speaking during the British Chamber of Commerce meeting with co-operating partners in Lusaka.

Mr Mariani said the funding will also be used on pilot projects proposed by the private sector.

He said improving the policy framework will boost the role of the private sector in national development.

The sector, Mr Mariani said, needs proper regulation to operate favourably and ensure sustainable growth and generate jobs.

“The private sector is key to business and development. It provides affordable goods and services and an engine for innovation. By reducing risks of investment, the private sector provides additional resources in the economy where they invest,” he said.

Mr Mariani said the EU has shifted support to include focus on energy and agriculture sectors as the country moves to diversify its economy.

“There is need for diversification of energy sources. Hydro power has served the country well and will continue, but we know its limits such as climate change,” he said.

Mr Mariani said the energy sector has raised a lot of interest from European investors and that ensuring a regulatory framework that provides an enabling environment for such investment to flourish is important.

And Department for International Development (DfID) economist in Zambia Annalise Raue said the funding agency is supporting Zambia in reducing poverty through various private sector initiatives.

Ms Raue said DfID has provided US$16 million for private sector enterprises for six years, which will ensure US$30 million of investment and create 40,000 jobs.

She noted that Zambians need to participate adequately in the economy and that change can only come from them.

Credit: Zambia Daily Mail

At the October CEOs’ Lunch, attended by 40 members, guests and others who find our events a great networking and learning opportunity, Malvi Chavda from Pricewaterhouse Coopers gave a presentation on the results of their 2014 global survey on ‘Economic Crime: a threat to business processes’.

Over 5,000 senior officers from business, government and public sector organisations, of which 83 from Zambia. Key findings of this survey for Zambia and globally are that:

• Asset misappropriation is the leading form of economic crime: 81% in Zambia and 69% globally
• Bribery and corruption ranks second: 35% in Zambia and 27% globally
• Procurement fraud comes third: 30% in Zambia and 29% globally

The survey finds that the cost of economic crime in Zambia is relatively high compared to Africa and Global levels. The survey reveals that 46% of Zambian respondents reported that the cost of economic crime was between $100k and $1m, while in Africa as a whole, 29% of respondents reported that they suffered less than $50k from economic crime, less than the 32% global figure.

Economic loss is not the only concern that companies face when combating crime. Respondents pointed at damage to employee morale and business relations as some of the most severe non-financial impacts.

The survey shows that most fraud is committed by internal fraudsters, according to 65% of Zambian respondents compared to 63% in Africa and 56% globally. Of these, most in Zambia are junior staff members at 54% followed by middle management at 46%, while the wider African and global findings show that fraud is perpetrated first and foremost by middle management (a trend now evident in Zambia in the preliminary 2016 survey findings).

The report also covers many other aspects such as stopping and preventing fraud, cybercrime, perceptions of the related legal environment and a global perspective. To find out more and to download a copy of the survey, go to http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/advisory/consulting/forensics/economic-crime-survey.html.

If any members of the Chamber wish to attend the PwC launch event for the next report in February 2016 or in case there are any queries, please get in touch with Malvi at  malvi.chavda@zm.pwc.com or on 0967 862 743.

On 29 October the British Chamber of Commerce in Zambia held an event on ‘Engaging the Private Sector in Zambia’s Development’ at the Taj Pamodzi hotel. The event was moderated by Bob Liebenthal and presentations were made by:

• Annelies Raue, the economist from from DFID
• Alessandro Mariani, the Ambassador at the Delegation of the EU in Zambia
• Brian Mtonya, the private sector specialist from the World Bank
• Ayana Angulo the lead procurement officer from USAID
• Peter Rasmussen, the economist from the African Development Bank.

The five informative presentations covered the current country strategies and activities in Zambia of these four cooperating partners and the main African development finance institution, how Zambia’s private sector can benefit from doing business with them and the various facilities available to our private sector, in terms of grant support and investment and financing facilities. They pointed out that many of these facilities are available to Zambian companies wanting to do business and, or invest in other countries. An active discussion followed.

Below are documents from several of the speakers and more will be added as they become available. Alternatively visit the organisations relevant websites

• AfDB Zambia CSP 2011-2015
• DFID contact details
• Doing Business with the EC
• World Bank Corporate Procurement Policy Summary 2013
• World Bank Resource Guide – Business Opportunities Basics

 

For its main September event the British Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Airtel Network Zambia, organised a discussion on Social Media. Some 130 members, guests, media houses, bloggers, journalists and other attended the event. The discussion was led by a moderator, Ms Brenda Nglazi Zulu, founder of the Zambian Bloggers Network and the speakers comprised Mr. Peter Armstrong (Young and Rubicam), Mr. Nathan Sichilongo (Dot.Com Zambia), Ms. Carol White (Ideas Consultancy) and Ms. Janice Matwi (Brand and Communications Manager – Airtel Networks Zambia Plc).

The discussion covered a number of topics, including the forms of social media; their various applications for business, professional and social purposes; the importance of an effective marketing strategy and whether and how social media can be part of that, challenges facing the using it and the numerous analytical applications available to measure their effectiveness.

Many of those attending afterwards commented that the event was a good start to discussing the role of social media in Zambia, how to control some of the less pleasant features that can occur in some applications, and in making the right choice of applications to meet objectives.  Given that the event was unable to accommodate everyone that wanted to attend due to lack of space, it would seem an opportunity for another organisation to follow this up with another forum – perhaps drawing on the experiences learned from this one.

The Chamber wishes to extend its thanks and appreciation to Airtel Networks Zambia, to the moderator and speakers and to all those who attended. We also thank the Taj Pamodzi hotel for continuing to host the Chamber’s monthly network lunches and events.”

The British Chamber of Commerce has made a submission to the Ministry of Finance in regard to the 2016 Budget, per the downloadable file below. The Chamber gathered views from its members on such topics as Corporate Taxation, Property Transfer Tax, Withholding Tax, the application of various Excise Taxes and Duties, VAT rate on Exported Services and Reverse VAT on Online Purchases and made a coordinated submission. We anticipate that the Government will take due note of the detailed and justified submissions in its programme to improve the operating environment for business, especially in the current economic climate, when every effort needs to be made to improve Zambia’s competitiveness and stimulate business activity.

Download the BCC Submission of the 2016 Budget

The British High Commission, in association with the UK Law Society and British Expertise, presented a one-day training workshop on PPPs on 27 July at the Intercontinental Hotel. This was part of a regional programme that included Mauritius, South Africa, Zimbabwe and other countries, as well as Zambia.

The title of the presentation was “Understanding PPP and the globally competitive market”. The pressing need for infrastructure development and services across the African continent has focussed increasing attention on the use of PPP models to secure investment and expertise. Successful PPP requires an adequate legal and regulatory framework, risk profiles and a realistic understanding of the market. This course was designed for policy makers, legal practitioners, procurement specialists and private sector participants.

The programme provided those attending with a good understanding of what they need to know to take an active role in effective PPP projects. It was designed by some of the most experienced practitioners in the world. The programme utilised case studies from Europe, South America and Africa to facilitate discussion and suggested lessons that can be learned from past projects to improve future PPP planning and implementation.
The programme covered many aspects of dealing with PPPs, including the objectives of PPPs, key definitions, features of typical PPPs, UK experience over the past several decades, the contractual framework, managing risk and many others – all of which can be found in his presentation.

A useful case study was given by the Southern African Regional Manager of Mott MacDonald, in which useful practical lessons, successes and failures, were discussed and provided a useful perspective from one of the world’s largest engineering practices.

The trainer, Malcolm Dowden, himself a solicitor in the UK with over twenty years expert experience in PPPs, presented his material in a way that was easy to understand by experts and layman alike.

A copy of his presentation is available to download.: PPP ZA

On 23 July 2015 the British Chamber of Commerce in Zambia hosted an event on Regional Trade – Where are we now with a Free Trade Area and how can we increase our trade in the region?
Over 80 members, their guests and others attended this event at the Taj Pamodzi hotel in Lusaka. A panel comprising Mrs Lillian Bwalya, Director of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry; Mr Jonathan Simwawa, Director of Export Promotion at the Zambia Development Agency; Mr Fudzi Pamacheche, Tripartite FTA Coordinator at COMESA and Ms Rachel Kamigisha, Senior Trade Expert at COMESA, made highly informative and useful presentations. These were followed by a lively discussion with those attending.
Mrs Bwalya gave a summary of changes to GRZ’s trade policy in recent years and detailed the numerous trade policy measures and action the MCTI has implemented – all anchored successive national development plans. These include focus on industrialisation and job creation; expanding markets, expansion of the services sector, transport corridors; a simplified COMESA trade regime; pursuing bi- and multi-lateral trade agreements and increasing public- private dialogue.
Mr Pamacheche outlined the progress of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (comprising COMESA, SADC and the East African Community), culminating in a heads of government meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh in June 2015, when 16 out of 26 eligible countries signed the Agreement.
Ms Kamigisha provided useful further detail on the three pillars of the Agreement: infrastructure, industrial development and market access and made specific mention of the COMESA Business Council, easing the movement of business persons and various trade facilitation measures.

Mr Simwawa provided a wealth of information on what the ZDA is doing to promote regional trade and provided extensive data on current trade patterns and on the constraints to the expansion identified through the ZDA’s most recent Exporter Audit.
Mr Simwawa’s presentation is available to download, below.

ZDA Presentation at BCC – July 2015

At a British Chamber event on 25 June 2015, Emily Hamilton and Michael Phiri from KPMG Zambia made a thought provoking wake-up call for guests on double taxation tax treaties, specifically the now ratified one between Zambia and the UK.

Their presentation (available as a download on this page) covered key aspects, including:

• UK-Zambia double tax treaty: what it is and why we should car and how does the new UK-Zambia treaty changes matters.
• Different types of business arrangements:
  • Zambian businesses looking to import goods and services from the UK
  • Zambian businesses looking to export goods and services to the UK
  • UK businesses operating in Zambia
• Tax issues for individuals moving between the UK and Zambia and a number of practical issues.
  The presentation reminded us of the different corporate types, the changes to treatment of dividends and the need to consider liability for withholding taxes and obligations such as NAPSA, PAYE, etc.

While the presentation raised as many questions as it answered, and the general discussion that followed covered a number of points, it is clear that companies, as well as individuals, need to make sure that they are compliant and to seek professional advice, whether from KPMG or their own advisers – and if you don’t have one now is the time to get one!

Download the presentation: KPMG-BCC UK-Zambia Tax Issues.