POLYGRAM Opinion Polls

POLYGRAM Opinion Polls are aimed at generating knowledge on topical development/policy issues raised in the public domain. In the recent past, there has been concern about the rate at which new loans are being contracted; unrestrained debt contraction poses a binding constraint on economic growth. At the height of the debt crisis, during the period 1982 to 2004, the country experienced substantial diversion of resources towards debt servicing, crowding-out of the private sector and sever contraction of public service delivery.  Sustained campaigns and policy reforms resulted in the Multilateral Debt Relief (MDRI) and Highly-indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiatives, which led to a reduction of the national debt estimated at US $7.1 billion before MDRI/HIPC to US $500 million by 2006. However, following the change of Government in 2011, there was been a surge in debt contraction, principally caused by infrastructure development demands.  In the light of the growing national debt, it was deemed necessary to assess how stakeholders perceive the subject in relation to the contraction, management, utilization and repayment of national loans. This Opinion Poll gauges the perceptions of key stakeholder institutions on “Zambia’s Rising National Debt: Towards another Debt Trap?” POLYGRAM Opinion Polls are aimed at generating knowledge on topical development/policy issues raised in the public domain. In the recent past, there has been concern about the rate at which new loans are being contracted; unrestrained debt contraction poses a binding constraint on economic growth. At the height of the debt crisis, during the period 1982 to 2004, the country experienced substantial diversion of resources towards debt servicing, crowding-out of the private sector and sever contraction of public service delivery.  Sustained campaigns and policy reforms resulted in the Multilateral Debt Relief (MDRI) and Highly-indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiatives, which led to a reduction of the national debt estimated at US $7.1 billion before MDRI/HIPC to US $500 million by 2006. However, following the change of Government in 2011, there was been a surge in debt contraction, principally caused by infrastructure development demands.  In the light of the growing national debt, it was deemed necessary to assess how stakeholders perceive the subject in relation to the contraction, management, utilization and repayment of national loans. This Opinion Poll gauges the perceptions of key stakeholder institutions on “Zambia’s Rising National Debt: Towards another Debt Trap?”