Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 1995, publiée 83ème session CIT (1996)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in reply to its previous observation.

The Committee recalls that, in the comments that it has been making for many years, it has emphasized the need to amend the Second Schedule to the Zambia National Provident Act in order to ensure to foreign workers lawfully within the territory treatment no less favourable than that which it applies to its nationals in respect of social security, in accordance with Article 6, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention, and to restrict any exclusion from the Zambia National Provident Fund to foreign workers engaged on short-term contracts and under specific conditions of work who already benefit from more advantageous social security coverage in their country of origin. The Committee notes the Government's statement to the effect that the substantial delay encountered in the development of a new national social security scheme is due to logistical problems. The Government is requesting the technical assistance of the Office for this purpose.

The Committee notes that an ILO technical assistance project in the field of social security is being implemented in the country and that the Government can benefit from its assistance to resolve the above problems related to bringing the national provisions respecting the National Provident Fund into conformity with the provisions of Article 6, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention.

The Committee hopes that the Government will soon report the progress achieved in this respect.