Zambia

In Zambia, the last 14 years of strong economic growth raised the average per capita income to over $1,360 and made it a lower-middle-income nation. Zambia’s 27 years of successful multi-party democracy, with three peaceful transitions between ruling political parties, has made the country one of the more stable in sub-Saharan Africa.  

Despite the recent growth experienced within Zambia, much remains to be done to advance equitable development throughout the population. Three out of four Zambians still live in extreme poverty and the country faces major challenges, including high unemployment, low agricultural productivity, inadequate transportation and energy infrastructure, poor education outcomes, a burgeoning youth population, and health crises caused by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, malaria and other diseases, such as cholera and tuberculosis. 

The USAID mission in Zambia comprises a staff of over 100 professionals and manages investments of over $300 million annually in the fields of health, education, environment, food security, and governance. USAID assistance to Zambia focuses on the following key objectives: (1) improving the health of Zambians, with a particular focus on women, at-risk youth, and vulnerable children; (2) reducing the incidence and impact of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases; (3) increasing agriculture-led economic growth to reduce rural poverty and food insecurity; (4) mitigating the effects of climate vulnerability and promoting sustainable management of natural resources; (5) raising the quality of basic education to increase literacy; (6) increasing access to electricity; and (7) enhancing democratic governance.