Dr Pollen Calls for Aligned Investments to Drive Sustainable Development
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has called on the private sector and cooperating partners to ensure that their investments are aligned with Government policies and national development priorities in order to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development.
Permanent Secretary for Administration, Dr Gabriel Pollen, made the remarks during a high-level panel discussion at the Skoll World Forum held in Oxford.
The session, hosted by Fika, Food4Education and Healthy Learners, brought together global leaders to explore how impactful development models can transition from pilot projects into sustainable, government-led systems.
Moderated by Rebecca Eastmond, the panel featured Wawira Njiru, Lonnie Hackett, Nivi Sharma and Dr Pollen, among other distinguished participants.
Dr Pollen stressed that while many development initiatives demonstrate strong impact at pilot stage, scaling them sustainably requires deliberate government involvement, clear policy alignment and long-term financing mechanisms.
He noted that Zambia’s decentralisation agenda, implemented through initiatives such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), provides a structured framework for delivering development that responds directly to community needs.
“Government has established clear policy frameworks to guide development. It is therefore essential that private sector players and cooperating partners align their investments with these priorities to ensure sustainability, efficiency and maximum impact,” Dr Pollen said.
The panel further examined the conditions necessary for successful government adoption of development models, including credible evidence, political will, sustainable financing pathways and effective delivery systems.
It also highlighted the importance of transitioning from partner-led implementation to full public sector ownership, underlining the need for trust and coordinated action among stakeholders.
Dr Pollen added that aligning investments with national priorities strengthens accountability, reduces duplication of efforts and improves service delivery, particularly at local authority level.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with the private sector and development partners to ensure that investments contribute meaningfully to Zambia’s long-term development agenda.
