MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba and his delegation have spent time in Los Angeles discussing potential investment and marketing Zambia’s conducive business climate.
The minister visited Preferred Freezer Services, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
At Preferred Freezer Services, a cold storage-based business with an international presence in China and Vietnam, Mr Kalaba encouraged the company to consider coming to Zambia and forge business partnerships.
He told directors at the firm that Zambia is centrally located and boasts of a wide market due to its membership to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Southern African Development Community and the Great Lakes Region.
The said Zambia seems to be at the epicentre of economic activities in Africa and is, therefore, the best place for investment for any company that wants to expand worldwide.
Preferred Freezer Services have been offering modern, full service temperature-controlled warehouses in the United States since 1989 and is the largest public refrigerated warehousing company in the world.
Sales manager Ron Viola told the minister that Preferred Freezer Services operates 35 facilities in nine regions within the US with more than 1,300 employees and close to US$200 million in sales. The firm has over 61 million cubic metres warehouse space.
“Our company was founded in New Jersey in 1989 and has expanded with an international presence in Shanghai, China, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam,” Mr Viola said.
And at Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Mr Kalaba said Zambia has continued on the path to economic development.
He told the board of advisors that Zambia acknowledges the importance of building and nurturing relationships with the county of Los Angeles.
Mr Kalaba also informed potential investors that Zambia is recognised as one of the most peaceful countries in the world.
“Government has identified key growth sectors and these are, agriculture, tourism, construction and manufacturing. These sectors have a high requirement for labour and a potential for employment creation,” he said adding that: “Zambia is seeking forming of synergies in areas with potential for employment creation.”
Mr Kalaba further said Zambia is the world’s eighth largest producer of copper, which accounts for 70 percent of export earnings.
He said copper is exported in its raw form and, therefore, the country is looking for investment that could bring value to the commodity.
He also appealed to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to consider twinning the county of LA with Lusaka.
Later, during a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, the minister said Zambia is diversifying and moving away from a copper-dependent economy.
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce president Gary Toebben thanked Mr Kalaba and his delegation for the visit.
Mr Toebben, who was impressed with Zambia’s profile, said there were a lot of US companies looking for investment opportunities.
He expressed hope that Zambia’s envoys in the US will make follow-ups with his company so as to build on and actualise some of the issues that were discussed.
I love hearing such news of how to expand the economy and not these tribal talk all the time. Keep it up with such initiatives.
With constant blackouts in Zambia, forget about companies like Preferred Freezer Services coming to Zambia, such companies need reliable power supply.
I also feel this is a great report,atleast it’s not tribal politics.
The same old tired politics left by Ronald Penza are the ones you are still chasing to this day? The minute you dunderheads will realize that a country is never built by foreigners will be the time we might say we have a country! Ka Kalaba nomutwe ngechishimu will travel all the way to America to plead with those whites to come to Zambia but when he goes to his own village will only talk about witchcraft. Don’t exclude the Zambians from the economy! Only from within may we truly shine.
Just wasting tax payers money in the name of marketing Zambia’s potential. RB & Sata wooed USA investors, we were told. Where are the investors? What is the Zambian embassy doing in the States? What happened to Zambia Cold Stored Board? i only see more money in these guy’s pockets.
@Mwaba-Jr, I was saying to myself these chaps must come with their own power otherwise, we will sue the s**t out of them for their refridgeration failing! However, Kalaba must also learn to disern which crowd to say what to! I read the other day, he (Kalaba) was supposed to meet former US president- George Bush (who despite several visits to Zambia and even including State House), this was a lost opportunity which should by now have been reaping the benefits had Ukwa taken the lead! Instead the guy was asking Bush why America colonized Zambia…..
We’re too dependent on loans and donors and forget we have brains. There are so many young university students capable of being in government but feel they are blocked by old politicians as they view them as a treat. This is why the country is failing because let’s face it, some government officials don’t have a grade 12 education and promoted by friends and relatives to get positions in these high ranking jobs. Lungu electing and promoting friends because they campaigned for him are the negative consequences. Them going abroad is misusing tax payers money spent on luxury meals, hotels, and shopping. I’m sure we have smart Zambians who can come together with collaborative solutions to benefit the economy. Abasungu abengi tabakwata amano, it’s an old way of thinking and should stop.