Dora Siliya
Dora Siliya (born October 8, 1970, in Kitwe) She attended school in Mufulira. After graduating from Kabulonga Girls Secondary School in 1988, she began studying medicine at the University of Zambia but left after two years to work with Zambian Television and Radio (ZNBC). She later returned to university to study mass communication while continuing her role at ZNBC. In 1996, she joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation, and in 1997, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Siliya also holds a master’s degree in development economics from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Development Economics from the University of Lusaka. As a Zambian politician, she served as the member of parliament for Petauke Central and as Minister of Communication and Broadcasting.
Quotes
[edit]- The country has long discussed economic diversification, and in September 2016, the president took a significant step by announcing plans for a “green revolution” in parliament. Following this direction, the 2017 budget for agriculture saw a boost of over 158%. For us, diversification means not only shifting the economy from mining to agriculture but transforming the agriculture sector entirely. Currently, 70% of Zambia's workforce is engaged in agricultural activities, yet it only contributes 9% to the GDP. My goal is to increase this to 20% within the next few years by prioritizing investment in research and extension services.
- Zambia has been overly reliant on a single crop for too long, with nearly 2 million farming households primarily cultivating maize. To promote crop diversification in 2017, we are introducing a smart subsidy of 75% to support the production of 10 crops, including orange maize, sorghum, millet, groundnuts, cotton, rice, soybeans, and cassava. Previously, the government focused solely on purchasing maize, but now, to encourage private sector involvement, we need to create markets for other crops, especially cassava, which has multiple uses as food, industrial starch, and an export product. A key part of my role is implementing a new communication strategy to help transform Zambia’s food culture.
- Our efforts to establish free trade zones, particularly in Kasumbalesa, are progressing well. The DRC depends heavily on Zambia for its food supply, presenting a substantial market for both major businesses like Zambeef and smaller poultry and egg farmers. We've reached an agreement with the DRC to tackle the informal trade issues along our nearly 1,000 km border, which has complicated formal trade processes. Following discussions with the Minister of Finance, we're looking at ways to formalize this "informal" trade by creating a free trade zone, allowing structured transactions in a unified currency, the dollar. Many companies have been cautious about investing across the border due to regulatory and system concerns in the DRC, but this initiative could open significant new markets and opportunities for Zambia.
- The people of Zambia have consistently opposed gay rights and same-sex marriages.
- Dora Siliya discusses the topic of same-sex marriage. September 27, 2019
- "Despite taking all necessary precautions, I tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday."