$20M MORTGAGE SET UP FOR MISSIONS

Government has allocated 20 million United States dollars to implement the mortgage finance program for rehabilitation, construction and purchase of properties in various Zambian Missions abroad.
This follows Cabinet Memorandum that was recently tabled to grant authority for Missions abroad to acquire mortgages for construction and purchase of properties.
Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ronald Simwinga says this is aimed at reducing expenditure on rented chanceries and residences for diplomatic staff.
Dr. Simwinga said this when he addressed diplomats at the Zambian Embassy after inspecting Government properties in Washington D.C. together with officials from the Ministry of Works and Supply.
He said funds are now available to start the renovations of stalled works of the prestigious Kalorama Zambian property situated in the Embassy row as soon as contractual issues with the contractor are sorted out.
Dr Simwinga said in the 2018 budget, Government has a mortgage financing line of 1.2 million dollars for the Mission in Washington D.C and the Ministry will resubmit the Cabinet Memorandum to include new aspects of financing that have emerged overtime.
The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry of Finance will soon present to Parliament a Budget Supplementary Bill to seek approval to spend the additional funding to include other Missions abroad such as Berlin and Nairobi among others facing similar challen
es.
Dr Simwinga also disclosed that Government is reviewing the Foreign Service Regulations and Conditions of Service to address the challenges the civil service is facing in Missions abroad.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC News in Lusaka by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC, Cosmas Chileshe.