SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESSES IN A 5-DAY VISIT TO ZAMBIA
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Thursday – October 27, 2022
A group of business executives from South Africa’s Western Cape and Cape Town will today commence a 5-day trade mission to Zambia to promote trade and investment partnerships in various sectors.
WESGRO which is the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape is leading the trade mission to Lusaka from 26th to 29th October, 2022. The business executives will engage their Zambian counterparts to forge economically viable trade and investment opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors.
“We want our South African companies to trade with Zambia and support the country and the new government to add value to Zambian resources and create jobs through partnership that may arise from this Trade Mission,” said Ms. Santos. “The purpose of the mission is to promote trade and investment between South African and Zambian businesses as well as create partnerships between the two counterparts.”
The mission will be structured in Networking Sessions and Business to Business meetings arranged for delegates.
WEGRO Export Manager Tatiana Dos Santos, expressed excitement that the Zambian Government is undertaking economic diversification to reduce the country’s reliance on the mining industry.
Ms. Santos acknowledged that the Government was exploiting other components of Zambia’s rich resource base by promoting agriculture, tourism, gemstone mining, hydro power generation, energy, and manufacturing.
The Trade Agency noted that these sectors had experienced exponential growth in recent years and were expected to continue to grow due to the numerous investment opportunities available in the country.
The Trade Mission to Zambia forms part of WESGRO’s International Trade and Outward Investment Mission Programme for 2022/23.
And Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa Ms. Inonge Mwenya, indicated that the High Commission is excited about WESgro’s visit to Zambia, especially that that the programme also included Business to Business meetings.
She encouraged South African Businesses to also look at Zambia as an investment destination, adding that there was need to enhance Market Access for Zambian products to South Africa and address challenges faced in this regard.
The Acting High Commissioner cited the challenge Zambian honey and several other products had in accessing the South African market. She stated that the Mission remained hopeful that such matters would be resolved soon in order to further enhance mutual bilateral trade relations.
Ms. Mwenya stated that the Mission was working on a reciprocal trade and investment mission to South Africa which is scheduled for 2023.
Issued by
Tamara Nyirenda
First Secretary Press and Public Relations
South Africa.
press@zambiapretoria.com