INCREASED DEMOCRATIC SPACE FOR FREE SPEECH AND ASSOCIATION This support raises the voices of Zambian citizens and encourages the government to be more accountable, responsive, and sustainable in the delivery of services to its citizens. In the long term, programs in this area will contribute to generating and sustaining the political incentives of the government and the motivation of citizens and interest groups to advance meaningful reform and sustained development progress. USAID also strengthens civil society advocacy and oversight roles through increasing the capacity of targeted civil society organizations to participate in issue-based reforms, including fiscal, political, and electoral processes. USAID supports initiatives to increase knowledge of local government and citizens’ responsibilities and rights, driving increased citizen and private sector participation in planning, decision-making, monitoring of service delivery, and increasing citizen involvement and satisfaction with sub-national processes and services. STRENGTHENED CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHOICES USAID supports Zambia’s democratic traditions and cultivates social and political stability by strengthening citizen participation and sub-national governance structures supporting a more sustainable independent media and strengthening civil society promoting free and fair elections and improving accountability, efficiency, and transparency in public financial management and domestic revenue generation systems. USAID works with the government and people of Zambia to build and sustain a democratic, well-governed, and accountable state that can respond to the needs of its growing population, and achieve more inclusive economic development while protecting citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms.Įstablishing an accountable, democratic, and well-governed state with an engaged citizenry, civil society, and private sector is an indispensable precondition for countries, such as Zambia, seeking a sustainable development path. This is further exacerbated by a high public debt burden. Zambia’s political setting remains vulnerable, with an underlying economic and societal discord as political and economic power remains in the hands of elites. The August 2021 elections ushered in Zambia’s third transition of power, offering opportunities for democratic governance and fiscal reforms while setting high public expectations for the government to deliver on democracy’s dividend. For the past 30 years, Zambia has been a regional model of peaceful and multi-party political transitions, yet corruption and persistent democratic weaknesses threaten this stability.
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