Thursday, March 28, 2024

Rupiah seeks better market access for Least Developed Countries

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President Rupiah Banda has urged the international community to address the challenges that least developed countries (LDCs) face in the effective utilization of preferential trade arrangements.

Speaking during a high-level interactive debate on the theme: “Harnessing Trade for Least Developed Development and Transformation”, yesterday, President Banda said major gaps still remained with regard to timeliness, adequacy and appropriateness of such preferential trade initiatives.

The President said notable challenges with preferential market access schemes have been the rules of origin as well as the stringent and sometimes excessive standards requirements.

Mr. Banda noted that LDCs’s continued to face supply side constraints that impeded their efforts of integrating into global trade. He pointed out that these constraints were related to infrastructure problems which negatively affected production, transportation and quality assurance of products emanating from least developed countries.

“It is, therefore, imperative that these challenges are addressed in a coherent and practical manner if we are to harness the role of trade in development and poverty reduction. Our cooperating partners need to go beyond the preferential market access schemes and invest in making LDC’s true development and trade partners,” the President said.

President Banda said the lack of progress in the negotiations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s Doha Development Agenda has also added to the challenges faced by LDCs.

“The Doha Agenda is an important platform to create reasonable progress towards the attainment of sustainability and equity in global trade. Delays in concluding the talks are of particular concern to our countries. The development-oriented conclusion of the WTO Doha round of negotiations is, therefore, crucial,” the President said..

The Zambian Head of State noted that while economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union have reached a critical stage, the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) concerns have not been fully addressed.

“We need to re-think the development path that will contribute to the stability of the global economy at large and the sustained growth and structural transformation of LDCs in particular. Harnessing trade for LDCs development and transformation requires concerted efforts from all partners and stakeholders supported by adequate financial, institutional and human resource,” President Banda said.

The President said there was need also to reform the investment policies to facilitate the flow of resources to sectors that allowed LDCs to tap into high-value supply chains and ensure that LDCs were not condemned to being perpetual suppliers of raw materials.

Prseident Banda said technical assistance and capacity-building programmes such as the Enhanced Integrated Framework and Aid for Trade should continue to be strengthened to assist LDCs address their supply capacity constraints, especially for value-added processes.

“My delegation firmly believes that trade, if properly managed and linked to other economic and social sectors, has high potential for unlocking the path to sustainable development and structural transformation for LDCs” the President added.

ZANIS

22 COMMENTS

  1. With all our majore resources being exported without any value added via manufacturing, we end up with all LCDs competing to sell their rough unfinished products to the same markets. What we need to do is to set up factories so that jobs in manufacturing are created and our institutions become centres for creating human happiness with consumer goods made right here. With his Chinese friends clogging our extractive industries and the citizens wallowing in poverty, he is just championing Chinese factories and industries.

  2. First set up some good economic policies domestically. Root out corruption, get good revenues from the mines Bozo. Clown

  3. Well said RB

    The WTO & Doha Development Agenda has some elements of greediness from certain elements of the Global Markets. Developing & Emerging Markets need viable passages.

    We see the trends with Commodities Markets and other Hybrid Products being manipulated all the time on major Global Stock Exchanges

    As Zambians, we need citizens that can stand the challenge to penetrate Global Markets. Some just believe in 90 Days Miracle Wonders.

  4. Unfortunately, the world has changed and we cannot have a backward mentality by those politicians promising to put more in the pocket without Fiscal Programs that will generate Wealth, Jobs and Development. It’s a very absurd way of thinking

    Lets work hard and stop “Capital Flights” by all means by recycling investments.

  5. # 3 INDEPENDENT OBSERVER, unless we get smart and start adding value to our raw materials all that Rbish is saying is political rhetoric, which will only continue to benefit and create jobs for the South African and Chinese markets. It is very simple start setting up factories as espoused in the PF manifesto, one in every province according to the comparative advantages of access to raw materials, tramsportation, capital and labour costs.In addition do all that # 2 has mentioned to develop strong social systems and infrustructures.

  6. 5# Her Ladyship

    The Global Markets are not driven by Governments but by the Private Sector.

    Ninety Five Percent of people that attend the WTO & Doha Development Agenda
    are those from the Private Sector or Corporate World who drive the global agendas.

    For sure, GRZ has a big part to play!!! However, as Zambians, we are too scared & proud to come out of the comfort zone and try something. The disease so far is just to cry blame games. And if one Zambian starts to pioneer a venture we are too “Fast and Furious” rushing to PWD [ Pull Him Down Syndrome]

    Zambia has many Asians from India that came as Expatriates in fields of Accounting, Science, Teaching, and Medicine etc. Those Asians that acclimatised and saw opportunities stayed and become Asians Zambians.

    • INDEPENDENT OBSERVER, thank you for that comment. you are a true patriot not the wolves in sheep’s body. cheers!!!

  7. They started from the scratch, but through hard work and perseverance, ended up establishing various industries especially in Chemicals, Manufacturing, Food Processing and are now exporting Agro products to the European Unions and the Far East. All this has been happening while we Zambians sit and blame the system.

    We had guys like the Late Gaulun ( Jewish and orphaned from the young age and came to Zambia with nothing ) who owned the once famous cattle farm near the Airport and all that land that his son sold to Meanwood Development Holding now distributed and sold as plots in Ibex Hill and Chamba Valley.

    We also have many Zambians that are beating the odds, excelling everyday with determination to see their dreams come true and making the difference in society.

  8. As a nation, we have many people that are educated, travelled the world, but we would rather listen to our INNER CRITICS and not get the best out of our INNER SELVES.

    Without gloating or boasting, I just came from a working class background with just an education. I have made inroads by investing back home in Housing Development Education, Banking, Farming, Telecom and Information Technology. Thus created employment for hundreds of Zambians and helping the disadvantaged children in Shelter Centres

  9. I have just secured myself an Export Deal to Scotland & Greece where I’ll be shipping and exporting Zambia’s Products. This was without waiting for the government to provide viable economical passages.

    Before me, other Zambians have done far much better than me. It’s my sincere desire to see other Zambians do more than what I have achieved. This is the essence to Zambia’s Development Pathway.

    WE NEED SELF CONFIDENCE & A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING…

  10. Am I the only only one that thinks this ‘Independent Ovserver’ is trying too much? Calm down, you are observing NOTHING. How sad? People want to know what is happening in people’s lives. For instances Is it more interesting If i tell you that I have I have managed to repair my won credit History which was horrible this time last year. I have also managed to buy my second hand vehicle which is a Micra. Could people explain what cars they drive? What colour their partners are? How much their rent is , if at all they own any houses? How much their partner earns mine he is told is between (£31000 to £35000) meaning I earn more than him. My bf also bought me a kitten we called Pippa but I didnt like her I asked her to be picked up from our flat and she is gone now :( Thanks

  11. just a thought, can our president in waiting engage in such ‘a high-level interactive debate’ ? if not, he should wait for 2016, this is the year of agoa and ldc’s, leave it to rb.

  12. Zambians all we think about is govt doing something for you. Be the one to set the that needed industry. Toyota, General Motors, Colgate, Coco Cola, MTN, Tata. All these big multi national were started by people like you and me. Please lets has individual visions or we perish. Dont start thinking about access to capital, pull him down (PHDs). Start thinking. Lets encourage the likes of Chibamba Kanyama, Mubita Nawa with their teen vision to empower the young people with knowledge power. Do it now

  13. @mushota there you go again. you always have to spoil the debates. i sense some jealousy from up there is scottish highlands. you are talking about nissan micra when independence Observ drives an austin martin costing £250,000. there is nothing wrong with a fellow zambian trying inspire others to reach the sky. while yours has always been about the scottish racist fiancé who made you pregnant as claimed by yourself. let others talk about aspirations and expansion. the guy is young, has worked hard in his life, he lives in a posh elite area of hampstead of london and has a mansion in surrey of london. not too long ago he was in the financial news paper and made some of us very proud.

  14. @mushota you are up there in a scottish cubic vomiting junk all the time. independence observer – please just continue lifting up the lives of helpless orphanage children in zambia. God bless you. just ignore lost soul of zambia. she is so delusional.

  15. Did you read about Lupando Mwape complaining that he was recalled because he is old? This is the only time in the history of the Republic that every one who has been fired by RB has complained about the prerogative of the President to hire and fire! Can’t people just thank the President for the opportunity to serve the country? It looks like once they are recalled siku kwinyilila uko (bitterness). These appointments are not for life and Lupando of all people! He was rejected by the electorate and appointed Ambassador to China by LPM to make him some money. Now he is complaining. People are taking the tolerance and kindness of RB for granted.

  16. No 15 i agree with you. Alot of people have taken the kindness of RB so much for granted. Lupando Mwape can now stand on a hill and insult RB. He lost election and RB gave him a job.

  17. RB please don’t complain ati stringent & exccessive standards.That is what makes high quality of life & great achievements possible.Look at our streets,mkts & places like chibolya,kanyama.These places are a mess coz it reflects our laziness,irresponsibility & the low standards we hold ourselves to.As much as i’d love better mkt access for zambian goods abroad i say hell no to lowering the bar for us as it’ll hurt zambia in being truly competitive and this is why we find ourselves seeking foreign help to run mines,zamtel and the loss of zambia airways.

  18. Mushota,,, what has your boyfriend buying you a cat to do with this subject matter?. Girl you need your mind checked up. Good thinking people are posting ideas and the best you can offer is your boyfriend this and that.. Something is wrong here. He does not love you and blogging has become a way of letting out your feelings. We know what a white man looks like. Please spare us your efforts

  19. Independent Observer, I hope people are listening. It is all so refreshing because contrary to what one hears on this blog many Zambians are doing just fine. I wish even greater success for the future. Zambia is now on the ascendancy and I hope the people vote wisely. I would also add, for the doubtful please belive in yourselves. The world awaits those who dare try.

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