Minister of Finance Felix Mutati has said the Government intends to transform Zambia’s Northern Sector into a trade and investment hub for the Great Lakes Region; comprising Burundi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Western Tanzania, and Northerly Zambia [Luapula, Northern & Muchinga Provinces].
The Minister stated that, “with a potential market in excess of 45 million consumers, the Great Lakes Region provides Zambia with a greenfield prospect for advancing the country’s economic diversification agenda through cash crop agriculture, facilitation of private sector investment in world class trading amenities, and establishment of efficient water transportation systems using the Mpulungu Harbour.”
Mr. Mutati added that, “the Zambian Government is working with the African Development Bank [AfDB] to remodel Mpulungu Harbour so that it is positioned for increased trade and investments in the Great Lakes Region.”
The Minister was speaking when representatives from Agriculture Development Company [AgDevCo], a British Government Supported Company, paid a courtesy call on him at his office this afternoon.
Meanwhile AgDevCo Country Direct Nigel Seabrook has disclosed that the UK Firm intends to invest US$ 30 million in the Northern Zambia Agriculture Hub and leverage on a further US $ 60 million from financial partners and potential equity takers.
“Our mission is to build profitable businesses which link farmers to markets, create jobs, contribute to food security, and drive economic growth,” stated Mr. Seabrook.
The Northern Zambia Agriculture Hub [NZAH] is a planned venture in the Northerly Zambia that aims to capitalize on markets in Burundi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Western Tanzania. Due to its strategic location near Mpulungu Harbour, NZAH has a competitive advantage due to its proximity to a huge regional market and its location in a vast area with arable land and water resources suitable for irrigation farming.
Mr. Mutati met senior representatives of AgDevCo at the UK Business Council Seminar during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
Mutati is officially the most media busy finance minister we have had a while,i hope si story chabe fiza chitika vamene akambapo because everyone his in the media someone is intending on investing in Zambia
Utushimi uto! HH ifi umutima lepu!
Mutati is just good at talking
Corrupt man there is nothing Mutati can offer Zambians, time will come when all these ministers will be replaces by modern young zambians
Lazy ones are ever saying “we will do ABC”
people who work say “we have done ABC”
Please give him some credit, he seems to be one of the hard working Ministers in this Government and there some positive impact to the economy if some of his projects are realised.
We need to be encouraging where its due, let’s learn to be positive and forget the political affiliation “hats” and just focus on the good things some of the few ministers are doing. And NOT criticising for the sake of it.
Mutati is performing much better than ECL.
Tiyeni uko imwe Ba sakala nyongo. What capacity do you have with you kabova advisors and ministers to transform Zambia. 2021 kuya bebele naka spineless EL kenu
You will rule insults with your hyena. We have already rigged 2021 hahahahahaha. Muzalira nafuti bamambala imwe
@Iron Lion Zion, I agree with you but wish to differ a little bit on next elections being held in 2021, especially if President Lungu insists on participating in those elections. In my view, if Mr Lungu insists on standing and the PF adopts him, the election calendar must change from 2021 to August 2019. Why August 2019, because President Lungu is adamant to accept that he has served a term. So for him to serve a five year term, he needs to serve up to 2019 plus the 1 year 6 months he served to finish President Sara’s term, meaning we have to make an amendment to the new Constitution. So the election should be August 11, 2019 unless Lungu doesn’t stand! But I agree with you on anything else.
I meant to say President Sata, sorry.
Iye ba kaunda bapita nabepwa.
Hope it pans out. At least achieve something as PF.
We’ve had enough of the talking. We know that the work can be done but just dont let these investors rip us off again just because they bring a shovel and a pick when we are the ones that own the rivers and the land.
Wow unto that nation whose leaders think economic prosperity is brought by outsiders than investing in its own people! Read Deuteronomy 28, the whole chapter. Zambians are tails and not heads in their own economy! The lack and love of money has blinded our misleaders!
Selling our resources to colonisers, undoing our independence again! I am fed up with these agents of enslavement like Mutati and his PF/MMD slave masters for colonisers. I have not seen these Mutati thugs meeting simple Zambian start-ups. Always wanting to rub shoulders with colonizers or imperialists! Why does he always want to please foreigners and former colonizers? Is he mentally normal? has he ever read African history? Or does he ever read what imperialist forces are planning to do in 20 years from now, once our educated elders die off and our countries are teaming with ignorant black people? Does he know that most vaccines that our hospitals are using to immunize our kids are toxic and slowly poisoning the kids?
Mutati is officially the most media busy finance minister we have had a while,i hope si story chabe fiza chitika vamene akambapo because everytime his in the media someone is intending on investing in Zambia
We this …..we that…..bla bla bla…..
While we wait for the 500,000 jobs lungu is providing in 2016.
True to that, Northern is underdeveloped compared to southern.
You got a problem with that?
Mutati ukubilima nga amona abasungu. A he sees is kaloba. Anyway kasuma kamusungu reminds me of chi gelo I used to kudya in Sweden back in day
Mutati if you can’t turn Lusaka into an aviation and trade hub with all its existing large market ,infrastructure and communications advantages what makes you think you can you can turn the north into a trade hub?
Excellent observation!
Hazaluza Hagain!
Is it true Lungu is a fraud convict ?
Your worst enemy is your insatiable appetite for political power and not economic power, you always want to prove a point that you are kingmakers, all for what? Since independence all your efforts and energy you have put and invested in this has yielded very little results. Nkalani nabu kingmaker bwanu while others keep cooperating economically.
Cooperation /kibbutzim is the key principle.
Galamukani.
This company AgDevCo has a very informative website; its states “are a social impact investor and project developer operating exclusively in the agriculture sector in Africa”. …AgDevCo has great teams in the countries the operate. These are the types of business model some of IDC portfolio companies should be copying and Finance Minister should not be everywhere leave some of this work to the Deputy PS.
“Mr. Mutati added that, “the Zambian Government is working with the African Development Bank [AfDB] to remodel Mpulungu Harbour”.
FROM DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MPULUNGU PORT/HARBOUR- IT HAS NOW BEEN DOWN-GRADED TO REMODEL? WHERE HAS THE MONEY GONE TO END DOWN TO REMODELLING? BECAUSE, INITIALLY, IT WAS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART HARBOUR. WE ARE NOT SERIOUS IN ZAMBIA. WE LIKE TINKERING WITH THINGS THINKING WE ARE SOLVING A PROBLEM. PLEASE, DO SOMETHING PROPERLY ONCE AND FOR ALL.
All over of you above please grow up! I am apolitical but I believe things have changed in Zambia since I left in 2001, whatever administration is in power. Mu letasha ba pushi. Travel the world then you will appreciate your Zed.
MUTATI DOES TALK GRANDIOSE.
SHOW ME ONE THING HE HAS EVER DONE APART FROM TALKING BIG.
HIS AMBITION TO REPLACE ECL IS VERY OBVIOUS.
Anything that short man touches turns into gold. His name is Nigel.wait and see.
Mutati is just a smooth talking punk, what did he do in his Lunte Constituency all those he was MP?
What you talk about is what bothers you, so no matter how much time passes you will achieve it .
It is only when something gives pain that you put your energy to it to conquer it , those who are comfortable at what they have will do nothing .
What Mutati is talking about is achievable and with new developments we hear about in this province could make it possible.
Right on! It’s all go.
I wish that I had a paramount chief like Chiti Mukulu. The man inspires me through his academic writing. Not these two bit fellows that spend time behaving like Senegalese U20 Harry Potter wizards.