ZIPAR

From 11th to 15th May 2026, key stakeholders from Government, research institutions, academia, and the development community convened for the "Design Thinking Workshop for Results Measurement in Zambia" to strengthen the country's approach to measuring, tracking, and reporting social and economic transformation under the Country Economic Transformation Outlook (CETO) Phase II programme.

Convened by the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) in collaboration with African Center for Economic Transformation and the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the five-day engagement focused on strengthening Zambia’s national results measurement framework in alignment with Vision 2030, the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The workshop provided a platform for technical discussions and collaborative design sessions focused on refining theories of change across the 8NDP clusters, strengthening outcome and impact indicators, improving reporting systems, and developing more coherent approaches to measuring progress in transformation and development.

Speaking during the opening session, ZIPAR Interim Executive Director Mr Zali Chikuba emphasised that sustainable economic transformation “cannot merely be measured by economic growth figures alone,” but must also be reflected in “improved productivity, quality employment, stronger institutions, resilience, innovation, and improved welfare outcomes for citizens.” He further noted that as Zambia transitions from policy diagnosis to implementation under CETO Phase II, strengthening policy delivery systems and results tracking will be critical to ensuring that development priorities translate into tangible outcomes for citizens.

Director for National Planning at the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Mr. Davison Mapiza, reaffirmed Government’s commitment to strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, noting that effective development planning requires the ability to “measure results effectively, track progress consistently, and generate evidence to inform policy decisions and resource allocation.” He further stressed the importance of moving beyond indicators that simply measure activities undertaken toward systems capable of capturing actual transformational change experienced by citizens.

The workshop marked an important step toward strengthening evidence-based planning, institutional coordination, accountability, and results-oriented implementation as Zambia advances the implementation of the 8NDP and preparations for the 9NDP.
ZIPAR extends sincere appreciation to all participating institutions, facilitators, technical experts, and stakeholders for their valuable contributions and commitment throughout the engagements.

Yesterday, ZIPAR held a meeting with the ZANACO team to explore areas of strategic collaboration. The discussion highlighted opportunities for joint efforts that can deliver sustainable value for both institutions.

We believe collaborations enable stronger, more impactful outcomes than working in isolation.