ECONOMIST Trevor Hambayi says the externalisation of money through illicit financial transactions is putting pressure on the Kwacha. According to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) fourth-quarter report for the year 2023, over US$2.8 billion was transferred from Zambia to Asia in what it terms as suspected illicit financial transactions. Commenting on this in an interview, Tuesday, Hambayi said the revelation by FIC could suggest that over $10 billion was being externalised yearly, advising government to introduce exchange controls to help curb illicit financial transactions. “It is a very big concern and I think it’s an issue that the Central Bank should have been looking at in terms of how we are able to manage our externalisation of resources. If you...