High level Captains of industry, investors, and business entities have gathered at the Protea Wanderers in Illovo in Johannesburg under the auspices of the Zambia-South Africa Business Forum.
The event is being held to woo multi sectoral investors to Zambia.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba said he is pleased with the huge turn-out by credible investors.
Mr. Mwamba said President of the World Farmers Organisation, Dr. Theo De Yager is leading a group of commercial investors in the agriculture sector.
Also, present is Zambia’s Northern Province Administration led by Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga who are using the opportunity to market the upcoming expo for the province.
Mr. Mwamba who said the forum is a 3rd Invest in Zambia series is excited with the number investments being directed to Zambia as a result of the event.
And Mark Gobie, Managing Director of Liberty Life Insurance Zambia said Zambia is one of the best countries to invest in.
He stated that his company has made the best decision to invest in Zambia as the climate, the rule of law and investment eco-system is one of the best in the world.
Meanwhile, Northern Province Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga has appealed to South African Investors especially in Agriculture, Tourism and Harbour facilities to take advantage of the excellent Investment climate in Zambia particularly Northern Province in particular.
He told the meeting that the Northern Province has a unique Investment Profile with a combination of excellent resource endowment for Agriculture and Agro-processing, tourism and an energy mix comprising, hydro, Solar and wind energy generation.
ALL THE TIME LOOKING TO FOREIGNERS!! Yes we agree we need Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) BUT WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO CRITICALLY LOOK AT HOW SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING BUT HAVE BRIGHT IDEAS!! You want everything important and good to be owned by foreigners?? The main advantage these foreigners have is cheap capital some of it they get with Government support and yet you have failed so miserably to find a way to compel these people who come here to build local capacity through local linkages to build our own “class”of Zambian business men! For example, WHY SHOULD SHOPRITE IMPORT LITTLE HARD PINEAPPLES,THOUSANDS OF KMs AWAY WHEN OURS ARE ROTTING IN MWINILUNGA?? WHY CANT THEY BE COMPELLED TO BUY LOCAL AND REVERSE THE TREND!!
A Country that cannot encourage its own people to work hard and get involved with development projects has no future. Foreigners come to make money and leave. National or citizens will do it to stay. We have to change our Gameplan and encourage Zambians to participate. This Nonsense of Foreign being better should end. We have Banks in Zambia and they should Finance Local citizens.
Let’s develop it! It is UNELECTABLE.
If you play your cards right you might be able to attract the farmers, with land redistribution without compensation that is going to happen in this country most farmers are unsettled, how ever do not sale them the land may be lease it out on long term leases. We need a lot of investment in Zambia to create employment and develop our country, this I support, just don’t be corrupt.
When we were paying $1 million per km for roads , we were told by PF rats “senior citizen ” et al that investores will be tripping over them selves …..but PF have only managed to attract Chinese scam artists and counterfeit experts.
This is all because pf are a lazy corrupt GRZ who don’t want to do any work, expecting foringners to do the work for them…..
In which country does the president build a road? Does Theresa May go to construct roads in “your” country?