Commerce and Trade Minister, Felix Mutati has challenged European Union (EU) donors in Brussels to urgently arrive at a fair, equitable, flexible and sensible conclusion of the Doha world trade talks and the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
At the COMESA conference on Trade and Investment in Brussels on Tuesday, Mr. Mutati said if donors could make the policy of “aid for trade” a reality in Africa, it would go a long way to push the continent’s development forward.
Mr. Mutati said COMESA countries like Zambia do not want to be pedestrians on the world trade and investment stage but key players as demonstrated by addressing inconveniences suffered by private sector to do business.
“We came to Brussels, not to seek a rescue package for there will be none. But to engage with you. More than ever, there is an urgency to conclude the Doha round and EPAs. Thereafter, we’ll do the rest,” declared Mr. Mutati.
He cited last weekend’s G20 summit in Washington where the pledge was to halt global economic meltdown and by the same token urged EU donors to engage in the fierce urgency of now by removing bottlenecks in EPAs and the Doha round of talks so that Africa could leap forward in a climate of aid for trade.
He said countries like Zambia are already experiencing challenges of seeing Copper prices which had peaked to $8,000 per tonne now down to $3,900 per tonne.
First Secretary for Press at the zambia mission in Brussels Samuel Ngoma reports that Mr. Mutati assured the donors that COMESA countries are in every way ready for investment as a democratic and reformed region.
[ZNBC]
Not bad, Mr. Mutati but I doubt if the EU has an open ear for Africa’s problem right now. They are fighting against recession in their economy.
Africa and zambia in particular does not need aid to develop. billions of dollars will be given and we will no see no development. we have enough money but due to poor management of resources and wrong priorities we shall still remain poor and under developed.
#2 Insider is right. Zambia in particular has in recent years received a lot of aid in form of grants and loans. Especially during the Chiluba era when NGOs sprang up out of nowhere. Unfortunately, little of this aid ever reached the people for whom it was intended. Poverty in Zambia has led to people stealing money as soon as they get the chance. Poor management and poor fiscal policies will cause us to remain behind the rest of the world. The European Union also has its own problems, but this was a good expression of Zambian interests by Mutati.
lets get away from aid please. we seen hopeless in these countries, thats why they never stop calling us the ‘poorest’ even when we have something in our pockets. lets improve in financial descipline and management.
#2,3&4 you dont know what is happening on a global market. Much as I agree with you that we need financial discipline in Zambia we also need fairness in global trade. This is issue the issue at hand, especially for african countries. The question you should ask yourself is that who decides the price of the copper, baby corn, flowers etc you produce?
Trade not Aid… and yes we can. Aid goes into peoples private pockets… let the whole nation not just a few prosper.
One more thing we want companies to come and invest in Zambia, and when they do the people in charge get a Golden had shake and don’t pay a lot of TAX. Money in their pockets and no development for the locals… I like to think of it a plundering!
Since the new deal government came into office There has been significant growth in the economy of zambia,( during the riegn of Lpm). There has been finicial discipline as well as using it for the right priorities.Which has been good and people who have worked hard in that area and are notable are Mutati,and Magande. Its good that Mutati has continued with the same spirit. way to go.
I would agree that in the Chiluba era many government officials pocketed lots money for themselves and yet it belonged to the country.
Lets hope RB, Musokotwane and Kapwepwe will work hard too.
All the best.
Zanbia will never change
we will wait and see
yeah, lets use money wisely and also have less children
MA Rubbish
Mutati you persuing so many programmes. Stick to ones which are workable or realistic. People want jobs not statements.
bravo! mutati, you are the man,i cant credit any one but you for the massive foriegn investment in zambia,you are intelligent and aticulate real issues without fear but for the interest of zambia.i hope you consider yourself for the presidency in 2011,i dont support MMD but i can definetly give you my vote…no kalijo uli mukali!!!!!!!!
Mutati you have made a difference in Zambian economy especially when it comes to woo investors with big capital investments. You have done quiet well in SME in our country, and there you are, talking to EU.. We need your hard work for a better zambia..
malabbishi
“At the COMESA conference on Trade and Investment in Brussels on Tuesday, Mr. Mutati said if donors could make the policy of “aid for trade” a reality in Africa, it would go a long way to push the continent’s development forward.Mr. Mutati said COMESA countries like Zambia do not want to be pedestrians on the world trade and investment stage but key players as demonstrated by addressing inconveniences suffered by private sector to do business.”Why can’t we forgot about this AID thing and concentrate on solving our problems alone without donor support? 44 years of Independence is like a 44 yr old Zambian Citizen who must by now forget about receiving help from his parents or relatives.
Good approach. though I would urge GRZ to minimise retail investment by foreigners, but instead encourage Zambians to participate more. As a land locked country, Zed should be inviting investiment in transport networking by expanding road/rail/air and water ways and encourage commercial infrastructure development. Once these are open Zambians can easily exploit the retail markets both for imports and exports
Why asking for donations and not marketing investment sectors such as transport/communication/infrastructure and energy.
Right now, Zesco is a sham of a service provider, public road transport is run by questionable charactors like the Nsandas,GBMs and the like. The rail transport operates at the 1972 pace (36 yrs behind. Air transport is non existist, Most infrastructure is decades old.
GRZ invite real investment to change the country’s out look. Everything is ill looking and malfunctioning.
We do not need AID as Mutati puts it. What we need is financial displine and prudent managements of the little we have. Magande used to behave namby pamby, to an extent of saying what is K20 Billion if an MP accumulates it over the five year term from emoluments? I slapped myself just to make sure i was not dreaming when i read that. This is how aid is misused, so we do not need aid but ukusunga uto tukwete people. We need to be frugal with our resources and more so govt money if we are to develop.
Has anyone in the diaspora tried to compare the prices of the so called fair trade products to those not labelled fair trade?
I COME FROM LUNTE CONSTITUENCY FOR WHICH MUTATI IS MP. HE HAS DONE NOTHING IN THAT LAND AND ALL HE DOES IS PRETEND TO BE CLEAVER BY TALKING NICELY. I AM STANDING AGAINST HIM IN 2011 ON THE PF TICKET AND THAT WILL BE THE END OF FELIX. WHAT ME!!
He just wants money 4 their own pockets not 4 Zambians. Kale mwayamba!!!!
I MEANT ‘ WATCH ME’!!
#5 much as I agree withyou, it will never happen never! Fair trade?
The only working minister.Keep it up mutati!!!!