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A 66 year old woman of Chidyamela village in Chasefu District of Eastern Province has died after being by a cyclist.
Group Village Head Chidyamela, Japhet Nyambose, has confirmed the accident and identified the deceased as Tinozye Phiri, a widow of Chidyamela Village in Senior Chief Magodi’s area.
Village Head Chidyala said the deceased was hit by her grandson Lywell Chizinga who was a riding the bicycle as she returned from a nearby village in company of another around 19.00 hours on November 2, 2020.
Village Head Chidyamela, who is the brother-in-law to the deceased, said Ms Phiri, a widow, died on her way to Kanyanga Mission Clinic after being hit by a Cyclist.
He narrated that his in-law met her fate in the evening as she was returning from Dadeyo village going back to Chidyamela village.
He said the Lywell, grandson to the deceased, was riding a bicycle without brakes when he hit her.
“When the accident happened, the victim Tinozye Phiri sustained injuries on the forehead, though she managed to walk to the village where the family members organised an oxcart to take her to Kanyanga Mission Clinic, but unfortunately she died on the way to the clinic,” the Headman said.
However, Village Head Chidyamela said the body of the deceased has since been taken to Lundazi District Hospital mortuary awaiting for postmortem to establish the cause of her death.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler disclosed that the boy who caused the death of the widow has been picked up by the police to help with investigations.
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has said that the vote on the Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 cannot be reversed. Dr. Matibini said that the vote relates to Members of Parliament for Chifubu Frank Ng’ambi, Mwansabombwe’s Kabaso Kampampi and Elalio Musonda for Kamfinsa.
Dr. Matibini was speaking when he made a ruling in Parliament today in response to a point of order raised by Mr. Ng’ambi. Mr. Ng’ambi contended that his vote, Mr. Kampampi’s and Mr. Musonda’s were not captured in support of bill 10.
Dr. Matibini explained that the Chifubu MP pressed the key button to show that he was present but failed to vote.
Dr. Matibini stated that if Mr. Ng’ambi had a challenge with technology, he should have consulted an Information Technology expert to help him as they are readily available.
Dr. Matibini has since urged parliamentarians to acquaint themselves with technology to avoid such happenings in the future.
Mr Ng’ambi is one of the 3 MPs that Patriotic Front Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila had written to exculpate themselves for the absent voting of Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020.
“It has come to my attention that during the voting for the Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020, on Thursday 29th October 2020, you decided to absent yourself from voting for the Bill”, Hon Mwila’s letter to all the three MPs read in part.
“Hon Member, you are aware that His Excellency, the President had directed that all our Members of Parliament vote for the Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 of 2020 as it had progressive clauses that would have seen us uplift the lives of the underprivileged in society”, Hon Mwila further wrote.
Hon Mwila has stated that the action exhibited by the Honorable MPs was not in line with the Party’s interest and in breach of *Article 74, regulation 29 (d) and (i) of the Party Constitution.*
The Members of Parliament have since been issued with exculpatory letters to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against each one of them.
Meanwhile, some Lusaka-based youth organisations have said that the failure by the UPND members of Parliament to vote for the Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 is an indication that they do not have confidence in the youths.
Speaking after a solidarity walk in Lusaka, Common Grounds Network Representative David Mvula said the act has denied youths, women and the disabled a chance to have representation in parliament.
And another youth, Serah Kasongo said youths will not condone such selfish acts from MPs.
And Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka Province Youth Chairperson Daniel Kalembe said the party will support the youths in their endeavors to get representation in Parliament.
Meanwhile, PF Lusaka Province Vice Youth Chairperson Kelvin Kaunda has challenged the MPs to explain why they did not see the need to give youths a platform to represent themselves in parliament.
And, The Network for Young People Against Violence says the failure by the UPND to support Constitution Amendment Bill Number 10 of 2019 demonstrates that the opposition party does not mean well for Zambia.
Executive Director Moses Kalonde says it is disappointing that the UPND pulled down a progress Bill that Government intended to support the marginalised such as women and the physically challenged.
Mr. Kalonde told ZNBC news in an interview that the party in 2016 was in the forefront of de-campaigning the Referendum that was to help enhance the living standards of people especially in rural areas.
Coach Tenant Chilumba wants Forest Rangers to maintain their perfect start to the 2020/21 FAZ Super Division season.
Forest are leading the table on six points after winning their first two matches of the campaign.
Chilumba’s side on Wednesday stunned Ndola rivals Zesco United 1-0 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium – three days after thumping Nkana 2-0 in the league opener at the same venue.
“We still have to look at the mental and psychology of players so that they don’t grow big headed,” Chilumba said.
“We still have work to do in terms of talking to the players; you can see we have some youngsters. We just have to concentrate and finish on a good note.”
Chilumba said Forest were tactically better than Zesco in the midweek fixture.
“Zesco are beatable you can even tell from the result. Even last season we beat them. I think today we were tactically good, Zesco were playing high balls of course so we concentrated on playing down,” he said.
It was a well deserved victory for Chilumba’s side that dominated play and created several decent scoring opportunities.
Chisengu Day Secondary School appealed to well-wishers and the Government to help it cushion the infrastructure challenges the institution is facing.
Chisengu Day Secondary Headteacher Sarah Chisha said the school has a total capacity of 244 pupils , but is lacking its own classrooms and pupils are taking shelter in the primary school infrastructure, while other learners are using a thatched shelter and a poultry building belonging to Chisengu Multi- purpose Cooperative.
Ms Chisha disclosed that through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), construction of a 1 x 3 classroom block was initiated, however, it has only reached at window level and stalled due to lack of finances.
“We are lobbying from well-wishers and you the first lady to assist us finish constructing the pending classroom blocks and also construct staff houses and dormitories for our pupils,” she told the First Lady Esther Lungu who was at the school to make a donation under Esther Lungu Foundation Trust.
Ms Chisha said the school is facing a serious housing accommodation crisis and as a result, most teachers commute from Mfuwe which is about 63km away from Chisengu on a daily basis.
She added that due to lack of enough infrastructure, the school came up with a weekly boarding initiative to help about 82 pupils that come from distant places that require some of them to cross rivers to get to school.
The Head Teacher further told the First Lady the lack of teaching and learning materials is as another great challenge the school is facing.
“The school only has four outdated computers and this makes it difficult to teach our pupils computer studies and help them move at the same pace with the rest of the world as it advances technologically,” Chisha noted.
Ms Chisha further said that the school wishes to engage in aquaculture and to help it achieve that, there is need for government and other stakeholders to help drill a borehole at the site so that the school can be self-sustaining.
And in response to the challenges presented, the First Lady who is in Mambwe District for her outreach programmes donated 10 computers, 12 desks, 230 pieces of washable sanitary towels, study text books, 20 buckets of rice and 192 tablets of soap among other items to Chisengu Day Secondary School and Chisengu Primary School.
And Chisengu Health Post also a medicine trolley, 250 surgical gloves, 20 sets of solar lights, 2 bicycles, 3 lab coats, an examination bed and 29 packets of food hampers among other items to Chisengu Health Post.
Earlier Chisengu Health Post Sister-In-Charge Violet Zulu appealed for the construction of a maternity annex at the health facility.
According to Ms Zulu, the absence of a maternity ward makes it difficult for expectant mothers when the time for delivery arrives as their privacy is also compromised especially during day time.
She added that the health facility does not have a mother’s shelter too which has led to many women delivering from home and endangering their lives and that of new born babies.
While in Chisengu, the First Lady continued to express her sadness over reports of escalating cases of child marriages and early pregnancies in the district.
Mrs Lungu insisted on the need for parents to appreciate the education of the girl child which enables them to realise full potential to earn a living and benefit their families and the whole community.
The First Lady, quoting Nelson Mandela that “education is the most powerful weapon in the world”, said educating children is key in the uplifting of the community.
“Gone are the days when a male child was encouraged to advance in school while the female child was told to do household chores. Allow girl children to get educated instead of marrying them off to men old enough to be their grandfathers,” she urged.
The Esther Lungu Foundation Trust has donated assorted items comprising of Medical equipment and supplies, Education equipment and materials and foodstuffs to Nsefu Day and Primary School, Katapila, Kapita and Kawaza primary schools, the vulnerable groups –Pictures by THOMAS NSAMA
Traditional leaders in Chinsali District of Muchinga Province, have warned their subjects of stern action if they continue withdrawing school- going children and take them into caterpillar collection, fishing and rice cultivation.
The warning has been sounded by Chiefs Nkweto and Mubanga of the Bemba speaking people of Chinsali in separate interviews with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali yesterday.
The two traditional leaders said it has been a trend by subjects in their respective chiefdoms to withdraw children from schools without permission from school managers saying this behavior should not be allowed to continue.
Chief Mubanga explained that parents are not guaranteed to make their own rules over the education especially those that do not mean well for the children’s future.
The Chief said children are government trophies whose welfare is a responsibility of government when it comes to their human and educational rights.
“It is wrong for any parent to think that they can decide on their children because government is a key stakeholder in the welfare of every child,” Chief Mubanga said.
He observed that most parents in Chinsali do not respect the rights of children hence violating them at will.
And Chief Nkweto also echoed similar concerns on the tendency of school -going children continuous absenteeism in class due to annual activities such as farming, fishing and caterpillar collection.
He said in times like this when the country is just being resuscitated from COVID -19 lockdown which saw schools closing for three months, parents need to encourage their children to attend school regularly.
Chief Nkweto explained that the future of this country lies in educated children who are supposed to be in classes and learning rather than in fishing camps.
“Children are supposed to be in class learning and not to be withdrawn and taken to do other activities outside school programmes such as fishing, collection of caterpillars, among others, ” said Chief Nkweto.
The two Chiefs have however, outlined stiffer punishments to parents who have the habit of taking children to annual activities like caterpillar collection.
Among areas that are mostly affected by fishing and rice cultivation in Chinsali are villages along the Chambeshi river banks while caterpillar collection highly affects Chief Mubanga, Nkweto, Senior Chief Nkula and Chimbuka areas.
President Lungu has instructed the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the flood situation in Lusaka province.
President Lungu said that government will provide resources to ensure people in places like Kanyama are assisted to deal with flooding, adding that the flooding problem is historical but must be dealt with once and for all.
President Lungu said this when he inspected the drainage system in Kanyama constituency, and whilst inspecting the drainage, the head of state occasionally stopped to engage the residents.
DMMU National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe said part of the cause of flooding in Kanyama is because engineers did not plan for a drainage system when constructing new roads in the area.
Mr. Kabwe said that the said the Ministry of Finance has however provided resources to deal with the flood problem in Kanyama and that DMMU and other stakeholders are working on a lasting solution to the flood situation in Kanyama and other parts of Lusaka.
And President Lungu has urged Members of Parliament to be innovative. President Lungu said the construction of a modern police station by Kanyama Member of Parliament Elizabeth Phiri is commendable.
President Lungu said that instead of complaining, Ms. phiri has managed to mobilise resources from stakeholders to build a police station. The President said government will not hesitate to pump in resources in community projects started by members of parliament.
President Lungu said this after inspecting works on the construction of Kanyama modern police station.
And Ms. Phiri said Members of Parliament should not just rely on the government to implement projects in their constituencies.
The Office of the Public Protector has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) to create and enhance maladministration awareness in the provision of public services.
The MoU will see the Office of the Public Protector and TIZ jointly conduct strategies that will improve ability of people to monitor progress on public services and demand corrective action in pursuit of a transparent public service delivery system.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lusaka on Wednesday, Office of the Public Protector Commission Secretary, Kebby Hakalima said the partnership will result in more people being sensitised on maladministration and encourage community action in demanding transparency and accountability from public institutions by people reporting grievances and seeking redress from the Office of the Public Protector.
Mr. Hakalima observes that public institutions need to genuinely be accessible to all citizens seeking public services at all times and officials need to conduct themselves with the utmost decorum and ensure legality, efficiency and relevance of public interest in the execution of their duties.
Mr. Hakalima noted that his Office is determined to exercise civil control over public authorities, regulate public administration and prevent maladministration in public institutions, which if not dealt with leads to corruption and injustice.
Speaking at the same event, TIZ Executive Director Maurice Nyambe said his organisation was delighted to work with the Office of the Public Protector as it is a key component within the country’s governance structure.
Mr. Nyambe said the Office of the Public Protector plays a pivotal role in enhancing transparency, accountability and integrity in governance processes and the delivery of public services, values which are also shared by TIZ.
Mr. Nyambe also reiterated his organization’s commitment to work with oversight institutions such as the Office of the Public Protector in addressing challenges and gaps in the governance sector for the benefit of the country.
MOU Signing Ceremony between TIZ and office of public ProtectorFrom L-R Mr. Kebby Hakalima, Mr. Maurice Nyambe
Chieftainess Nyakulenga of the Lunda speaking people in Zambezi District in Northwestern province has bemoaned the bad state of the road network in her chiefdom.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS today, the traditional leader said government should consider working on feeder roads in her chiefdom for development to be attained in the area.
She cited Dipalata-nyakelenga road, which is in a deplorable state and becomes impassable during the rainy season.
Chieftainess Nyakulenga said the Road Development Agency (RDA) promised to work on the roads in the district and a number of them have been worked on except the Dipalata-nyakulenga road.
“Am surprised that most of the roads have been worked on like Chitokoloki-Mpidi road but only our road has been disregarded and the only thing they did was to clear grass along the road,” she said.
The Traditional leader noted that the road is crucial for her subjects to have access to the central business district as well as farmers to transport their farm produce to the market.
“This road is vital for my subjects to have access to better medical services at Zambezi District Hospital because my chiefdom only has a rural health post. One needs to travel at least not less than 76 kilometres from my area which is impossible more especially pregnant women in case of complications,” she said.
Chieftaines Nyakulanga further appealed to government to connect her chiefdom to the national power grid adding that lack of electricity in the area has negatively affected pupils.
“We have people who want to attend evening classes but because of lack of electricity in our chiefdom, they end up in bars to drink beer,” she added.
“My plea to government, is that it should consider working on these two critical issues I have raised, bad road network and electrifying my chiefdom so that people have free movement to take their agriculture products to the market and for development to take place,” she said.
The National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) Director General, James Kapesa has called on Zambians both in the formal and informal sectors to register on the health insurance scheme to enjoy the benefits offered.
Mr Kapesa said the health scheme initiated by government has started bearing fruits as beneficiaries are witnessing its benefits.
Speaking during the tour of Chikuni health facility yesterday, Mr Kapesa said the rolling out of the scheme at accredited health facilities has drastically addressed the challenges of drug shortages.
He explained that NHIMA has complemented government’s efforts on the supply of drugs across the country through a number of interventions such as working with medical stores and affiliated health facilities.
Mr Kapesa disclosed that K60 million is available for procurement of drugs in all the health facilities accredited to the Authority as part of its drive to ensure high quality health care to all its members.
He said government is happy that most people in the formal sector are registered but however stated that the health scheme will only succeed if people in the informal sector are brought on board.
“ I want to say that am impressed with Chikuni Mission Hospital for implementing the NHIS to our beneficiaries but his scheme will only be realized if we register more people in the both the formal and informal sectors so that we can achieve the three million target in the next two to three years,” said Mr Kapesa.
“Although the scheme faced hitches when it is was first rolled out, it is encouraging that 820 beneficiaries are already registered and are now accessing high quality health services together with their families,” he said.
Dr Kapesa further said NHIMA will next year embark on a massive campaign to recruit as many Zambians between ages of 18 to 65 on the scheme for the people to fully appreciate its benefits.
Meanwhile, Chikuni Mission Hospital Acting Health Director, Kalume Mayombo said the facility received K105,000 from NHIMA as first allocation which was used to buy drugs, hospital equipment and linen.
Dr Mayombo said the funds have significantly helped to enhance health service delivery to beneficiaries on the scheme adding that more plans were in the pipeline for renovating high cost wards and other areas to further enhance health service delivery.
“You wish to know that we started registering beneficiaries of the health scheme in April this year and this is going on well except that we have few challenges such as old and dilapidated infrastructure, shortage of health staff currently at 70 percent among others which requires urgent attention for us to continue offering the best health services,” said Dr Mayombo.
And NHIMA Senior Public Relations Officer, Mutolo Mwamba said the Authority will actively engage the media to help in sensitizing the public and encourage them to register and enjoy the benefits.
“We want to embark on a serious sensitization drive by working with the media and also brand staff with t-shirts and other information education materials so that more people from both the formal and informal sectors can register. What people need to know is that this scheme, is meant for all Zambians not only those who are working in government,” she explained.
The International Election Observation Mission has said that the 3 November general elections held in the United State of America were competitive and well managed despite legal uncertainties and logistical challenges.
In a statement of preliminary findings and conclusion on the US Elections released to the media by the Mission, operating on the OSCE banner, the report said that a highly polarized political environment, acrimonious campaign rhetoric fuelled tensions and that measures intended to secure the elections during the pandemic triggered protracted litigation driven by partisan interests.
The report said that the ncertainty caused by late legal challenges and evidence-deficient claims about election fraud created confusion and concern among election officials and voters and that Voter registration and identification rules in some states are unduly restrictive for certain groups of citizens.
The report further said that the media, although sharply polarized, provided comprehensive coverage of the campaign and made efforts to provide accurate information on the organization of elections.
The report also said that Arrangements put in place by the election administrators, including for early and postal voting, together with committed civic engagement, allowed
for high voter participation despite challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
The report said that counting and tabulation, which is ongoing, should continue in accordance with the law and OSCE commitments
The report also took a swipe on what it described as baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent president, including on election night, adding that this could harm public trust in democratic institutions.
Before the US went to the polls on Tuesday’s vote, there were hundreds of lawsuits regarding postal and early voting. They centred on a range of issues such as the deadline for posting and receiving ballots and the witness signatures required.
Republican-run states said restrictions were necessary to clamp down on voter fraud, while Democrats said these were attempts to keep people from exercising their civic rights.
In his speech on election night, Donald Trump called the vote “a fraud on the American public”.
The Trump campaign now wants to stop the count in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Michigan, claiming – without evidence – that there is voter fraud.
There is no doubt that the whole process surrounding the attempted enactment of Bill 10 has polarised our communities,perhaps to levels never seen since our independence in 1964. This is an indisputable fact and one that calls for a collective national soul searching.
We must however use the fall out of Bill 10 to foster an energy of unity despite our political differences, because Zambia’s greatest strength lies in its diversity. The intense debate the Bill generated must strengthen our democracy, our values and ideals that provide that even though we hold different views, we are one people and citizens of one mother land under one God.
We must rekindle the shared values with which this great nation was founded upon, that any human has a value far greater than any label, stereotype or misconception and that multiculturalism is an intergral and deep rooted part of Zambia’s national identity. We must strive for the ability to exist as one people in which we see each other as people first, without defining ourselves by race or tribe or deploy fear mongering by pitting citizen against citizen in order to maintain political power. This is dangerous and has ramifications that can affect how our communities relate to each other now and in future and most tragically, can endanger national security.
The rejection of Bill 10 must not provide an array of weaponry by those who opposed it against those that were its proponents. Instead it must provide all stakeholders an opportunity to inspire renewed hope, brotherly love and support to our nation and its citizens and also help us search for answers on the best way forward to resolve many challenges(and there are many of them) that still face our nation, especially on the electoral process as we lay the ground work for the 2021 election.
In this regard I wish to extend our profound gratitude to all citizens who moderated this intense national discourse for or against. My heartfelt thanks also go to various professional bodies, Civil Society organisations, Labour unions, Church Mother Bodies, different Churches and other organisations of other religious faiths. I wish to particularly express our gratitude to the Catholic Church for its sustained vigilance and consistency in providing leadership and spiritual guidance to the nation during the entire period of the debate, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) and the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions for their forthrightness in the whole process despite a lot of pressure from the Patriotic Front and its surrogates.
My sincere thanks also go to different political parties and fellow politicians for affording citizens an opportunity to explore the Bill 10 debate from two sides of the coin, and lastly our MPs from all political parties that debated and expressed their views for or against the Bill and finally voted, abstained or voted against the Bill.
The failure of Bill 10 is a prerequisite for change of the status quo and the way the PF conduct public affairs that ultimately negatively impacts the lives of our people and the nation. It is a clarion call to duty for all citizens to demand for accountability in the running of national affairs from the PF.
People want decent jobs and proper healthcare, the ability to put food on their tables, pay school fees for their children and buy medicines in private pharmacies, because of lack of essential drugs in public hospitals. This can only be possible under a new government with fresh ideas and renewed vigour. You can’t put new wine in old wine skins.
PF is totally bankrupt on how to reinvigorate this country back to where they found it. The people of Zambia fully recognised this impotence and will vote them out next year.
UPND has a good economic plan, capable team of managers and technocrats to create the much needed economic recovery, once our citizens vote us into office next year. We have the political will and the capacity to fight corruption and any economic crimes, vigorously and without fear or favour. This is time for change!
A Ndola based freedom fighter, Isaac Chileshe has called on Zambians to have respect for the Presidency.
Mr. Chileshe said Zambians have lost direction because they have now started daring the highest office of land.
He stressed that it is regrettable that a section of society has risen with impunity trying to drug the name of the President into disrepute.
“The Presidency is the highest office of our land that is the reason we need to respect it and it’s office-bearers. It is a pity that a lot Zambians have lost direction and have poured all sorts of negative things on the Head of State,” Mr. Chileshe said.
Mr. Chileshe has also called on Members of Parliament not to be segregative when it comes to the distribution of empowerment programmes in their constituencies but to embrace everyone.
He said Parliamentarians should know that they don’t only represent people who voted for them but everyone as long as they are members of that particular constituency.
Mr. Chileshe said law makers should learn from the Republican President who has embraced every Zambian citizen irrespective of their political inclination as can be evidenced by a number of programmes aimed at uplifting the welfare of the vulnerable.
“We as an association of freedom fighters are behind the leadership of President Lungu. It is in this line that we request that all his well-meaning Zambians to show respect to that office,” he said
Parliament has adopted a Report of the Committee on National Economy, Trade, and Labour Matters on the proposal to ratify the agreement to establish the Tripartite Free Trade Area among COMESA, East African Community and SADC.
Earlier, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on National Economy, Trade and Labour Matters, Situmbeko Musokotwane said most stakeholders have supported the country’s decision to ratify the Tripartite Free Trade Area.
Dr. Musokotwane however, said there is a need for the country to deliberately put in place measures that will enable the country to actively participate in trade with other countries.
And Deputy Chief Whip Tutwa Ngulube said Zambian companies will use the Free Trade Area to expand the market for their products.
Mr. Ngulube said there are several products that are being manufactured in Zambia that can compete on the international market.
Meanwhile, Nchanga Member of Parliament Chilombo Chali who seconded the motion said despite the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement increasing market access, there is need for Zambia to find ways to protect the revenue collection.
Zambia yesterday represented by Minister of Commerce, Trade and industry Christopher Yaluma participated in the 2020 China International Import Expo (CIIE) through a visual meeting.
The CIIE is a global event and has earned itself great recognition of being a viable platform for promoting investment and deepening multilateral trade and economic integration.
Speaking during the same meeting, Republican President of China Xi Jinping said over the past years the CIIE has enabled the exhibit to become traded goods and the exhibitors to start more exhibit opportunities.
President Jinping said the expo acts as a major platform for international procurement for investment promotions and country exchange making it an international public good for the world to share.
He noted that the CIIE has this year drawn a large number of businesses around the globe and the exhibition area has expanded by 30, 000 square meters.
The Chinese leader further noted that COVID-19 has put countries through a touch test and China has put major strategic gains in controlling the virus.
President Jinping explained that the Chinese economy is steadily picking up evidence of 0.7% growth in foreign trade which is a major contribution to economic recovery in the world.
“Out of solidarity with other countries in fighting Covid-19, the Chinese people have shared full experience and done their best to assist in international communities,” he added.
And President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa said as the world embarks on the economic recovery in the wake of Covid-19, it is necessary to promote global investment and trade.
President Ramaphosa said the CIIE is the largest exhibition in the world and gives an opportunity to companies around the world to connect with the Chinese market and for Chinese companies to form ties with companies from other countries.
He disclosed that the number of companies participating in the exposition this year is higher than the past two years.
“For the African Continent, this could not have come at a better time than now, we are just two months away from the first trading date of the African Continental Free Trade Area which will be the largest trading area in the world,” he stated.
The CIIE is playing a pivotal catalytic role in deepening multilateral trade and increasing exports of participating countries into the wider China market.
