Vice President George Kunda arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, last evening to attend the second tripartite summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC).
Mr. Kunda, who arrived aboard a Zambia Air Force (ZAF) plane at 17:10 hours local time, is representing President Rupiah Banda at the three regional economic groupings’ summit which is being held at the Sandton Conventional Centre in Johannesburg.
ZANIS reports that he was met on arrival at the Waterkloof Air Force Base Airport in Pretoria by Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Lieutenant Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika and other Zambian Embassy officials.
The SADC, COMESA and EAC are meeting here to finalise discussions of establishing a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA), which is expected to create conditions that would broaden trade opportunities and widen the internal market among the three regional economic bodies.
And Col. Nkunika has said Zambia stands to greatly benefit economically once the T-FTA is established because her regional market will be broadened.
He told ZANIS in an interview here that a broader market of one body of the SADC, COMESA and EAC regions will encourage member countries to produce more high quality goods because of the ready and bigger market.
Col. Nkunika explained that Zambia should now diversify her agricultural production to ensure that the yawning market in Angola, Mozambique and Democratic Republic of Congo can be supplied with agricultural produce.
“There is no point in restricting the market for your own produce. You know that we have a limitless market in the Congo (DRC), a limitless market in Angola, a limitless market in Mozambique just to mention a few,” he said.
The High Commissioner added that Zambia can easily export agricultural and other products to these markets thereby making her citizens and companies rich.
He said there are over 500 million in the SADC, COMESA and EAC region which Zambia must supply with goods.
He further said Zambia should now aim at intensifying production in various sectors and add value to these products in order to export finished goods that will fetch more money.
Mr. Kunda will this afternoon join over 20 Heads of State and Government that will attend the summit on the establishment of a Trilateral Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA) among the three regional economic groupings.
The first tripartite summit was held in Uganda in October of 2008 in pursuit of broader objectives of the African Union (AU) to accelerate economic integration of the continent.
At this first summit, it was agreed that a Free Trade Area (FTA) encompassing members states of the three regional economic communities be established with an ultimate goal of creating a single Customs Union.
The aim of this economic integration is to achieve economic growth, reduce poverty, and attain sustainable economic development.
A total of 26 countries make up the membership of the SADC, COMESA and EAC summit with a combined population of about 527 million people and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$624 billion, translating into an average GDP per capita of US$1,184.
The second SADC, COMESA and EAC summit is expected to close tomorrow
ZANIS
This is the first time RB has delegated. Is it because he was attending to Hillary Clinton?
#1 Are you a 16 years old blogger or what? Or are you a Toy KaKadoli for real?
Didn’t Kunda go to Nigerian for the Inauguration of their president last month?
Ba George VP, make sure you stock up some pills while there! Stocks are running low pa ZED!
#1 is right most heads of state delegate. Even the Mafia have hierarchy!
i hope they will search him too at lusaka international airport by DEC officers. he is a big drug dealer and money launderer!
Imature comments. I know I am one of the voice of reason, as I tell my fiance who is white. What has pills got to do with his visit. Long live Mr Kunda. The country is behind you all the way. Thanks
my fiance is white, my fiance is white…..blah…blah…blah… that must be news…
Imwe naimwe mulibapuba ba Mushota
What du do mushota?
Ba Kunda balwele mulebaufwilako uluse. Not ukubashuta sana ba mudala!!!! Lesa akamikanda!!!!
Vice President George Kunda in Johannesburg, South Africa for a Summit and treatment.
Plz respect ba kunda he help stabilze the country whn we lost levy.let give him support.its nomal to get sick if its true he is sick.
What summit imwe abantu sure, the man is in Morningside changing “umulopa” but they are lying that he is attending the summit. And why did he fly by an Air Force plan as opposed to the cheaper option of flying by one of the local airlines or South Africa Airlines? You bet this was the ZAF Air ambulance he was using because for him any thing can happen anytime. Kakotwe ka lifasi kamu lambezi fa lilaho mucaha, ku lateha ahulu mitenya yamwa bucwani mang!
After the summit he’ll pass through Morning Side and get your pills..in tonnes