Friday, March 29, 2024

We need to deal with challenges stopping growth of Young African entrepreneurs-Mutati

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Hon Chris Yaluma minister of Commerce, Hon Felix Mutati, Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and Maj Gen. Topply Lubaya Zambias Ambassador to Egypt.
Hon Chris Yaluma minister of Commerce, Hon Felix Mutati, Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and Maj Gen. Topply Lubaya Zambias Ambassador to Egypt.

Former Minister of Commerce and Trade, Felix Mutati has observed the need for African Governments to deal with challenges stopping the growth of Young African entrepreneurs.

Speaking on the Sidelines of the Africa 2018 Summit themed: ” Business for Africa and the World” in Sharm el sheikh, Egypt, Mutati said the young entrepreneurs are telling Governments in Africa that they have the determination, innovation and the right ideas to grow Africa and that governments should help them by dealing with the challenges they face in growing their businesses.

He said young entrepreneurs are fatigued with African Governments only signing trade agreements and wants them to move a step further towards practical implementation of the said trade agreements.

Mutati who has held several government portfolios including that of Minister of Commerce and Trade and Finance among others, said Africans should first trade among themselves before looking outside Africa for partnership.

“Young Entrepreneurs are saying to us that they have the determination, the innovation and the idea’s but that they need governments to lower the barriers to access and the cost of capital. They need governments to create capacity in skills and technology as well as open new markets,” he said.

Mr.Mutati said young entrepreneurs are fatigued with governments merely signing agreements but not making things happen.

He said there is need for a paradigm shift as regards the work ethics as the answers to the challenges faced by the continent can not come from outside but from within.

“The answers to our challenges are right in our hands, in our work ethics, in our actions, in having a paradigm shift in the mindsets. Lets not ask what others will do for us, lets start from inside and do it ourselves. It is possible.”

Mutati further explained that there is need for regional integration models signed in Kigali to translate into their intended results.

“The message from the African leaders is very clear, that the starting point for the liberation and growth of African trade is for Africa to trade with each other, for Africa to invest in each other, for Africa to connect with each other as countries using the regional integration model under COMESA, SADC and the East African Community.

“We need to make sure that we translate the signing of the free trade areas for Africa that was done early this year in Kigali, moving from the signing ceremony to practical implementation of the agreement. Lets break down the hesitations, the bureaucracies that are slowing down the expansion of trade in Africa. Lets deal with the challenges and irritations of boarder crossing for example. Lets deal with infrastructure that is not connecting and helping us to trade with each other and lets share technology,” he said.

Mutati is in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt at the invitation of the Egyptian government for the second time as a speaker at the Africa 2018 Summit, his first invite being at the inaugural conference/summit in 2015.

13 COMMENTS

    • Rich Africans are very greedy. Instead of investing in young entrepreneurs, they would rather buy big European cars, vacation overseas and obtain a horde of mistresses. It explains why a lot of them are rich and not wealthy. Venture capitalists are non-existent in Zambia. Silicon Valley is a behemoth now thanks to venture capitalist who invest in young minds.
      On the contrary, a rich African will buy you an expensive bottle of whiskey to show off when you pitch a new idea to him rather give you money for maybe a 20% stake in your new company.

    • Mutati is right.
      Chimpangali MP Vincent Mwale and the POTROZ once launched the Youth Policy. Is that document bearing fruits or just gathering dust in the incumbent line Ministry’s head office. We talk with a bass and act with whispers. You only talk about youth’s plight at that designated day in March. You youths, do you really understand the potential bestowed on you. But like Mutati is saying unless business barriers are dealt with decisively, it’s like a talkshow in a debatelike manner at play.

    • Why is Mutati saying all these things now but didn’t do much when he was minister? He kept bringing in foreign companies without much thought for the SMMEs.

  1. Compare this with Trib.al Hacks……Hon Mutati comes across as a true Zambian, a true patriot, a pan Africa leader. He holds dear the interests of Zambian youth, African youth, the development of Zambia at large. Listen to him, and he is an opposition leader!!!

    Come to Trib.al Hacks, the name tells it all – cannot think beyond trib.e, visionless, only interested in himself and state house (he was appointed to put his trib.e in state house remember Sejani) and those are the basic elements of his manifesto. He is in courts forever for all manner of reasons that one can only understand if you are also trib.al e.g. his followers, chieftainness mukuni etc etc. He even fails to correctly interpret simple words in the Constitution because the thinking organ needs trib.al surgery.
    Trib.al…

  2. ……..Trib.al Jay Gay suffers from this same disease, not surprisingly….laughable really, and they harbour hallucinations of matching towards ruling Zambians!!!
    Viva Mutati!
    Viva Edgar Chagwa Lungu!!!!!

  3. When you listen to him you realise that there is nothing inspiring about Trib.al Hacks…dull speech, poorly crafted, dry, messageless, uninspiring. But his trib.als cheer him and you wonder whether they are okay, you pinch yourself to prove it!
    I pity President Lungu, what is he going to dialogue with? By nature Trib.als are like shifting Kalahari sands, today they say one thing tomorrow another, and next day yet another thing, after one year repeat the cycle. Yesterday they didn’t recognise him and his victory in 2016 as President of Zambia, today they want to dialogue with him. They even meet him in dark corners….!!!! Trib.als awe mwe!!!

  4. Sorry to divert you from the brilliant message of Hon Mutati. It was important to compare notes! Please proceed with Hon Mutati!!!!

    • Can you please stop this dangerous stupidity? I write as one who travels a lot in Africa and has seen what fanning tribalistic sentiments can lead to. You are the tribalist not the HH you seem to dream about all the time

  5. When you out of power and not in control of things,you truly have ideas. Just stop telling stories. You good at stories nothing to show for but selfishness and greedy.

  6. Someone should have told the Egyptians that mutati is no longer a minister. They must be thinking they have invited a government official but they have actually invited a leader of an opposition party.

  7. Mutati is part of the problem! Many Zambian entrepreneurs from around the world tried to reach him when he got his big position with PF. Many are educated with great ideas to help boosts Zambia’s GDP and economy. Many sa Mutati as the one to influence change and believed in him. This Mutati never returned their emails or calls. So what is he barking now! Now he needs people and using such strategies to get their attention. Let Mutati get lost!

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