It is rather a time when we should be having some fun, watching both our ladies’ football teams from the Ndola and Lusaka offices battling it out on the battle field. Thereafter, it will be the turn of the gentlemen to break a sweat in friendly combat. We naturally expect that when the opportune moment is presented, commercial banks and other invited entities will also produce teams comprising ladies and gentlemen – after all the Central Bank of the Republic of Zambia will soon be showing you precisely how it is done. It is now my honour and privilege to officially launch the commencement of 50th anniversary celebrations of central banking in Zambia. Please enjoy yourselves. I THANK YOU. 2  BIS central bankers’ speeches
It is such action, called for at the level of the international community three days ago in Washington by the G7, the IMFC and the G20, that the Europeans considered indispensable, particularly in the euro area last Sunday, with the adoption of a concerted European action plan. This plan has six dimensions: ensuring appropriate liquidity; facilitating the funding of banks through various means (guarantee, insurance or similar arrangements for new medium-term – up to five years – bank senior debt issuance); providing additional capital resources to financial institutions; recapitalisation of distressed banks; ensuring appropriate implementation of accounting rules; and enhancing cooperation among European countries. The very day after the meeting, namely yesterday, a large number of euro area countries displayed their implementation of the Eurogroup commitments at the level of the Heads of State and Government. I will not hide the fact that I am impressed by the degree of responsibility and decisiveness that was demonstrated last Sunday and this week in the euro area. I am impressed by the will of the countries that share the single currency not only to work together, but also very closely with the United Kingdom and all EU Member States. And I see that the new decisions taken in the United States are further reinforcing this very impressive implementation of the plan that has been approved by the international community. This is no time for complacency. Central banks will remain solid anchors of stability and confidence.