New Year Address to the Nation 2023

President Hichilema delivered his New Year address to the nation on the eve of 2023, broadcast on ZNBC TV and radio. The address came at the end of a year in which his administration had secured a $1.3 billion IMF Extended Credit Facility, reached an in-principle agreement with official creditors under the G20 Common Framework for debt restructuring, and introduced a range of economic and social reforms.

In his message, the President acknowledged the difficulties that many Zambians continued to face, including the high cost of living and the impact of global economic pressures stemming from the war in Ukraine and post-pandemic supply chain disruptions. He called for patience and resilience, stressing that the foundations for recovery had been laid and that the benefits of reform would become increasingly visible in the year ahead.

President Hichilema highlighted key achievements of his administration first full year, including the introduction of free education, the recruitment of over 30,000 teachers and 11,000 health workers, and the stabilisation of inflation from 25 percent to under 10 percent. He urged Zambians to embrace hard work and productivity as the surest path to national prosperity, and extended New Year greetings to all citizens at home and abroad.