BIS Review 5/2010  1  In addition, it is common knowledge that Zambians prefer to be in formal employment rather than engage in entrepreneurial activities on a full time basis. The small number of educated Zambians engaging in entrepreneurial activities limits the scale of indigenous businesses as evidenced by the non participation of Zambians in major sectors of the economy like mining or manufacturing. It is however, important to realise that individual entrepreneurs as well as small and medium sized enterprises form the engine of economic and social development as they generate the much needed employment for our people. Hence the need to encourage all efforts aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship. Distinguished Invited Guests, our institutions of higher learning play an important role by molding and developing innovative and creative mindsets amongst our young people. With this belief in themselves, young people can be productive, take responsibility in their respective communities and ultimately drive our economy forward. We need to remind ourselves that Google was founded by students; Facebook was founded by a student; and even Microsoft was formed by Bill Gates as a student. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me assure you that the Bank of Zambia is committed to ensuring the availability of finance to viable entrepreneurs including small and medium sized businesses.
But on account of communication barriers, Zambian businesses might not take advantage of our close proximity. This goes to show Your Excellency that our reliance on English as a lingua franca is detrimental to our national interest, especially in our quest to alleviate poverty in our society. In this regard, the need for us to speak, read and write French so that we communicate effectively at the regional and international level cannot be overstressed. BIS Review 5/2005  1  Furthermore, recent developments in the global economy dictate that we should be able to interact effectively at various international fora where appreciation of the cultures, values and customs of other people is important. Therefore, in view of the foregoing, we, at the Bank of Zambia, have realised that there is a compelling need to overcome our communication barrier by developing our employees’ multi-lingual skills, particularly, in French so as to, among other things: (i)  develop the required patience in their interactions with our non-English speaking counterparts;  (ii)  acknowledge the unique talents and contributions of others;  (iii)  uncover and show concern for the pressures and constraints which others face and modify the demands we may place on them;  (iv)  actively seek facts and data that explain and support others’ views and incorporate others’ feelings and values when restating their perspectives; and  (v)  reduce the cost of hiring external interpreters which impacts adversely on our limited resources.