Muchinga province woos Egyptian investors

Muchinga Province Minister, Henry Sikazwe says the Provincial Administration will continue to attract investors who may wish to invest in the province.

Mr Sikazwe says there is more need for various companies to invest in the province if development is to be attained.

The Provincial Minister was speaking when he led his entourage from Muchinga Province in visiting two companies namely Fresh Factory and Arma Oil Factory located in the tenth of Ramadan City in Egypt.

While at Fresh Factory, a company that produces different home appliances, Mr Sikazwe said he is happy to note that the company exports its products to more than 65 countries in the world.

“If this company can come to invest in Muchinga Province, it will have more markets because the province is bordering Tanzania which has a port and Malawi on the side adding that it is also a gateway to other East African countries,” he said.

And Mr Sikazwe further called on the management at the two factories to start negotiations as Zambia, and Muchinga Province to be specific, is ready to partner with such companies.

Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Henry Mukungule assured the two companies that they will not face any challenges as the materials to produce the products are readily available in Muchinga Province.

“The materials that go into the production of the oils that we have seen, most of them are currently grown in Muchinga Province through both large and outgrower schemes,” Mr Mukungule said.

The Permanent Secretary added that the province has a palm plantation of about 13,000 hectares of land which the Arma Oil Factory can take advantage of after modalities are put in place.

And Arma Oil Company General Manager Abdulgalil Almqraei said investing in Zambia and specifically in Muchinga Province are some of the opportunities the factory has been looking forward to.

Dr Almqraei said he is aware that the area has potential, especially in the market once the products are ready for export.

“We are ready to invest in your province because we know that we will attract a lot of countries to export our products,” he added.

And Fresh VIP Training and Business Development officer Dimitry Bashaa said the company has been trying to invest in other countries but has not succeeded.

Mr Bashaa said the approach by the Muchinga delegation from Zambia shows how serious the team is in wanting to develop Muchinga Province.

He further assured the delegation of fresh investment in Muchinga Province soon.

A delegation from Muchinga Province is in Egypt on invitation by the Egyptian Government for Muchinga Administration to the Zambia-Egyptian Day, Second Edition in Cairo.

The Muchinga delegation led by the Provincial Minister, is also holding meetings with various companies to lobby for investment support.