Regulatory Alerts2022-01-01
Bank of Zambia Circular No. 14/2022 Withdraws COVID-19 Measures from Circular No. 10/2020
The Bank of Zambia issued this circular to withdraw Circular No. 10/2020, making previously mandatory COVID-19 branch measures including face mask requirements, customer limits, and contact tracing registers no longer compulsory. Commercial banks are advised to continue monitoring Ministry of Health guidelines while actively promoting digital financial services and maintaining established hygiene standards. This withdrawal aligns with the national lifting of pandemic restrictions and takes immediate effect for all commercial banking operations.
[Logo: Bank of Zambia]
Bank of Zambia OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR - OPERATIONS
BOZ/EXEC/DGO/bsd/bp
November 16, 2022
CB Circular No. : 14/2022
To : All Heads of Commercial Banks
WITHDRAW OF CB CIRCULAR NO. 10/2020 – IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO MINIMISE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
Reference is made to CB Circular No. 10/2020, dated March 31, 2020, wherein the Bank of Zambia issued measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19, at the onset of the pandemic.
The CB Circular required, among other measures, the mandatory wearing of face masks, limiting the number of customers in the branches, and maintenance of a register of customers visiting the bank premises for contact tracing. As you are aware, these measures were made in line with the Ministry of Health guidelines.
Following the announcement by the Ministry of Health on the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of face masks, commercial banks are advised that CB Circular No. 10/2020, has now been withdrawn. Therefore, implementation of the COVID-19 measures listed in CB Circular No. 10/2020, are no longer mandatory. Commercial banks are, however, encouraged to continue to promote the use of digital financial services and to maintain high hygiene standards.
Commercial banks are also advised to continue monitoring and adhering to COVID-19 guidance issued by the Ministry of Health, going forward.
[Signature]
Francis Chipimo (PhD) DEPUTY GOVERNOR – OPERATIONS
cc Governor Deputy Governor – Administration Director – Bank Supervision
Bank Square, Cairo Road, P.O. Box 30080, Lusaka, Zambia Tel:+260-211-399303, 399300, E-mail: dgo@boz.zm. Web: http://www.boz.zm