ZAMBIA AND SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCH BUSINESS COUNCIL
THE Zambia-South Africa Business Council (ZSABC) has been launched in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Formed under the auspices of the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, the body aims to promote investment and trade between the two countries and to advocate quick resolution of disputes and barriers.
And officiating at the launch, Zambia’s Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe, and South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu agreed that it was time for Zambia and South Africa to scale up their relations from political to business cooperation if the economic status of the people of the two countries was to improve.
First Secretary for Press Nicky Shabolyo says the event which attracted an impressive crowd from those who have already invested in Zambia, potential investors and various interest groups from both Zambia and South Africa was described by many as a befitting signal to herald the start of increased economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mrs. Mwanakatwe says Zambia and South Africa have had long political relations which began during the liberation struggle and that this should now move toward economic cooperation.
She says 74 percent of the trade that took place in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was South African and that four percent was a combination of Zambia’s and Zimbabwe’s.
She hoped Zambian products would be available in Builders Warehouse, a South African renowned outlet under Massmart, which would be opened in Lusaka in November this year.
Mrs. Mwanakatwe says Africa should realise that it was attracting world attention economically and that countries on the continent should strive to do business among themselves in order to empower their people.
And Ms. Zulu says Zambia and South Africa have been proponents of regional enterprise development pointing out that it was important to highlight the importance of small enterprises as they were the backbone of economies.
She says what has been started should be followed through and not die a few months down the line.
Ms. Zulu urged the delegates go into the cooperation wholeheartedly and maximise the benefits.
She agreed with Mrs. Mwanakatwe that it was clear that there was need for Zambia and South Africa, and the rest of the continent to forge links in order to end poverty through the use of the political power embodied in the leaders.
Formed under the auspices of the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, the body aims to promote investment and trade between the two countries and to advocate quick resolution of disputes and barriers.
And officiating at the launch, Zambia’s Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe, and South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu agreed that it was time for Zambia and South Africa to scale up their relations from political to business cooperation if the economic status of the people of the two countries was to improve.
First Secretary for Press Nicky Shabolyo says the event which attracted an impressive crowd from those who have already invested in Zambia, potential investors and various interest groups from both Zambia and South Africa was described by many as a befitting signal to herald the start of increased economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mrs. Mwanakatwe says Zambia and South Africa have had long political relations which began during the liberation struggle and that this should now move toward economic cooperation.
She says 74 percent of the trade that took place in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was South African and that four percent was a combination of Zambia’s and Zimbabwe’s.
She hoped Zambian products would be available in Builders Warehouse, a South African renowned outlet under Massmart, which would be opened in Lusaka in November this year.
Mrs. Mwanakatwe says Africa should realise that it was attracting world attention economically and that countries on the continent should strive to do business among themselves in order to empower their people.
And Ms. Zulu says Zambia and South Africa have been proponents of regional enterprise development pointing out that it was important to highlight the importance of small enterprises as they were the backbone of economies.
She says what has been started should be followed through and not die a few months down the line.
Ms. Zulu urged the delegates go into the cooperation wholeheartedly and maximise the benefits.
She agreed with Mrs. Mwanakatwe that it was clear that there was need for Zambia and South Africa, and the rest of the continent to forge links in order to end poverty through the use of the political power embodied in the leaders.