President Hakainde Hichilema has said the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a huge market for Zambian products.
President Hichilema said Zambian farmers and manufacturers should therefore increase their production in readiness to export to the DRC.
During a press conference at State House yesterday President Hichilema said that the issue of smuggling products produced in Zambia should end as Congolese people are reliable customers.
The President said he had a fruitful meeting with his DRC counterpart Felix Tshisekedi on the sidelines of the 2021 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last week bordering on economic and peace and security matters between the two countries.
“I met my brother President of DRC Tshisekedi and we dedicated ourselves to focus on trade and investment,” he said.
President Hichilema told journalists that Zambia can exports more goods to DRC that she consumes locally.
“The Congolese are our clients and not smugglers and President Tshisekedi sees it the same way,” he stressed.
The President revealed that government will therefore engage manufacturers on the procedures to produce more and export to DRC.
He said there is need for peace with DRC, with whom Zambia shares the longest border amongst her neighbours.
“We also discussed the importance of keeping peace and security along our borders of Zambia and DRC and not living as adversaries,” he said.
President Hichilema said he was pleased that he had discussions with Mr. Tshisekedi.
That is why the trip to the UGA was important for zambia……..
Bally 3:0 critics
DRC has always been a huge market
Nothing new here.
Unlike what we saw during pf where lungu sent soldiers to kill his own people just for selling 10 bags of mealie meal to their brothers at the border…all that youths wanted was to do business and earn not sing foolish songs for pf..
Now is the time for youths to form cooperatives and do business.
If DRC and Zambia enter into a customs union it might work. If not the smuggling will continue
What will be new is the full potential that will be realised … it’s a huge market but the visionless leadership under the previous regime always put restrictions on its people to trade freely..
This is the Zambia We the People Wanted,and on August 12 ,We got it .This is the way Forward.Zambia was never going to Survive another 5 years of Lungu and his PF Corrupt Criminal Enterprise of Government.
We are firmly & Proudly behind our new President and Government
DRC has been a market but it was
Done using1he backdoor. What bally is saying use the front door.
In that way even country will benefit.
#5 Sight… Kaunda was visionless, Chiluba was visionless, Mwanawasa was visionless, Rupiah was visionless, Sata was visionless and finally Lungu was visionless? Congo didn’t materialize during Lungu’s presidency…it has always been there. Before you get excited get your facts right. Congo from the colonial days has been problematic. I come from the border and I can tell you that talk is cheap. Even in the colonial days the trade between the two countries was mainly smuggling. By the way when someone says that Mr Hichilema had a side meeting at the UN with president so and so it doesn’t mean that the previous presidents never did so. It’s normal at such gatherings.
#5 By the way we export cement in large quantities to the DRC.
This is the most positive statement to have come from a sitting President, Bally has scored on this one. This is a turning point, please stop harassing our traders as smugglers. Luapula has suffered underdevelopment because of the criminalization of trade between the province and the DRC. People can’t even transport a bag of maize or cassava through the Pedicle because they’ll be arrested as smugglers. This move will spur agricultural production because now people can sell their produce. I urge the people to immediately embrace and actualize this pronouncement. The President has spoken, who are you to question him? People of Luapula now you have an opportunity to access the market you’ve yearned for years. Bravo Bally!
One does not need to go all the way to the United States to have a discussion with a President of the neighbouring country.
Sean Tembo, whether you like him or not, raised the issue before the President’s press conference.
It was lovely of HH to address Tembo’s concern.
We really need to look within our region to grow our economy, think of Angola and how it continues to import food from Brazil.
Sean needs to be given a role to play, let me be an emissary to the neighbouring countries, if he can afford to go to Botswana.
Mwanya you will have shortage of food if you think you can do business with ba kasayi (DRC)………. They will buy your meali meal in bulk and sale it to Luanda and Bulundi causing shortage hence leading to high price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It happened in KK’s time and HH is aware of that……….
#9 unlike cement bro whose profits goes to multi nationals, we need to encourage locals to cultivate basic food crops which they can sell and earn a living from…moreover we earn more from selling them mealie meal thanwe do from cement sales ..
#12 Musa, that’s the policy that has retarded development. South Africa exports more food to the region. Hundreds of trucks from South Africa pass through our roads to take food to the DRC everyday, is there hunger in South Africa? If people are allowed to trade with the DRC freely the demand for goods will spur production especially in Luapula, Copperbelt and parts of Northern Province which in fact receive enough rains and streams run the whole year. Recently Lumwana Mine sponsored a team of agro dealers to an ExPo in DRC to help forge such partnerships. Isn’t that a positive development? It’s in recognition of the importance of the DRC market. Think positively for once
Smuggler! Smuggler! Smuggler wapwisha ubunga!
Talk oh talk.
Put up a trading system and we will laud you otherwise talk is cheap and empty.
Do we see.
ECL was a doer. We saw him do. Do, we sonta. Otherwise you’re just thinking aloud.
Anything good for Zambia is laudable.
Good luck. “Bonne chance”
The taste of the pudding is in the eating.
#13 Sight… Just go to Kasumbalesa and that basic foods are exported by small producers. By the way even though Lungu was what you call visionless, there are things that he’s done that make sense. He’s come with the idea of decongesting Kasumbalesa border post by joining Lubumbashi through Kasomeno with Kashiba on the Luapula River. This means that trucks coming from Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda won’t have to pass through the copperbelt but will just either go through Serenje or some other route to reach Lubumbashi. That the long and torturing waiting in lines at Kasumbalesa will be cut by some percentage. Even those from Lusaka and beyond can take advantage.
The problem with DRC is security.. .its the wild west there although returns are massive.
#5 – Deja Vu,
“DRC has always been a huge market” . You are right, BUT the POINT is that it HAS NOT BEEN FULLY Utilized except by SMUGGLERS.
HH’s new approach is to make the DRC market accessible to your children as well. That is a difference.
#9 – If you “export cement”, that is good, BUT there is potential for more goods than just cement.
And also it’s a mental shift, from calling DRC “ba kaboke”, you now are thinking in terms of them being your customers. that is HUGE and SMART !
Remember, Sean Tembo was at it saying its a waste of time that HH visited the USA, he should have visited countries like DRC. Must have been shocked, that such discussion took place in USA itself, must be embarrassing to him.
#14 – This Thorn in the Flesh
You are the same people who were all over the place attacking HH to provide a plan what he plans to do, that he has no plan…and that kind of sh!t.
Now HH tells you what he intend to do once his budget plan is approved, you TURN around, and attack him saying he should be DELIVERING. You even take it to the next level, by comparing one month in Office without budget Vs 7yrs tenure.
It’s just NOT FAIR, if you are objective. This can just come from a stout PF Cadre, who by all means want to find something on HH. But we respect your viewpoint.
He just brought the same promises he has been singing all the times nothing will ever work , where is the dollar he promised to be $1 to k10 the same day when in government.
This guy continues and they are all clapping.
People want you to do what you promised to do immediately you were in power.
It is still about promise after promise he is a professional lier.
This is now October things the same no one sent to prison.
Still diffending his looted wealth.
ECL was a doer ???????
Really
#17 Tarino actually you are very right. Security has been, is and will always be the reason why our successive governments have failed to utilize the possible potential. Tchisekedi can discuss with Hakainde but while the Hakainde knows what is happening in all corners of Zambia, Tchisekedi doesn’t know even half of what is going on in the DRC. It’s a fact.
Let’s trade
I’m in the process of opening a meat processing plant here in Zambia and I want some of that Congolese money too
I was in Lubumbashi recently, like three weeks ago. I was CONSTANTLY approached by strangers who offered me all sorts of stuff, from cobalt, emerald, mealie meal, gold, girls to government appointments, fake dollars etc. Before Tchisekedi got that cleaned up – if ever – the place absolutely LIVES from smuggling
The vision is there, all we are waiting for are actions from the government such as reduce input costs of manufacturing and doing farming. We can achieve higher heights if the necessary fundamentals are put in place.
#19 GK aka General Kanene
We will laud h² when he performs, that’s what is fair. You’re his supporter we get that so you cheer him at every pronouncement but for me, I need results. So far I have not seen anything but promises.
Get to work.
GK
In case you missed it, I am record having told you on this podium that I am my own cadre by NRC. My party is Zambia.
Your guy does the nice thing for Zambia, I laud him ,if he doesn’t, I rain on him. I saw ECL do things, I constantly lauded him. I am hard to impress because I only live by sight on these development issues. I don’t live by promise. The last time I tried to live by promise, FTJ fvcked us all. Never again pal
#27 This Thorn in the Flesh
October 1, 2021 At 12:45 pm
“GK
In case you missed it, I am record having told you on this podium that I am my own cadre by NRC. My party is Zambia.
Your guy does the nice thing for Zambia, I laud him ,if he doesn’t, I rain on him. I saw ECL do things, I constantly lauded him. I am hard to impress because I only live by sight on these development issues. I don’t live by promise. The last time I tried to live by promise, FTJ fvcked us all. Never again pal……”
Not true , you were totally against HH during the run up to elections ……
It’s hard to see how you thought lungu was better than HH……….
HH IS RIGHT
Population of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – 92.8 million
Population of Zambia – 20 million.
DRC Food imports in 2020
Cereals and Milled products (Maize,wheat etc) – $220 million
Sugars and sugar confectionery – $49.5 million
Meat and edible meat offal – $80.34M
Every Zambian should go into farming- Maize, Tomatoes, Onions, cattle,pigs,goats etc
#29 We are already exporting all those things. Farmers are sending truck loads of tomatoes everyday via Kasumbalesa.
So ba Deja Vu in short you want HH to just do nothing because DRC is tricky to do business with? He shouldn’t even try te? This is the backward mentality of failure we want to leave mu PF.
This good… Liberalize the export of maize and mealie meal and liberalize the export of mukula timba. That’s one mistake PF did was to ban this. Allow people to trade freely in food staffs these are not drugs. We have a shortage we will grow more. shortages are a good sign for production and growth. Dont be afraid
#31 Dudelove. Not at all but I don’t want you to be disappointed when all these grand pronouncements don’t materialize. Let him continue entertaining you with these mirages. I know what I am talking about. Fifty seven years of neighborhood is enough experience.
#30 @Dejavu
Zambians are not exporting enough.That is what HH is telling you.
Only PF connected people were allowed to trade in the DRC and the rest were called smugglers.
Zambians are busy street vending and trading in over crowded markets when they should be farming to feed themselves as well as 90 million congolese.
Mistake of PF wad criminize clean trade. Trading in mealie meal and mukula timba was criminized .that was wrong. Lets get scared of shortages..this shows that we need to produce more and thats when growth comes in. Lungu was a doer. He spoke less but did more. On banning export of maize and mukula ,he was cheated by cheap politiking.
#35 Independent… mistake people are making is to accuse the PF of failure of this imaginary trade with DRC. Dr Kaunda a committed son of PanAfricanism could have done it, so would have FTJ and so could have the best president Mwanawasa and so would have the highly exposed Rupiah Banda…. but they didn’t. So why are you blaming Lungu. What are you going to blame him of next? I guess you also blame PF for not sending any Zambian into space.
#37 Deja Vu .
Stop whining for LUNGU. No one blamed LUNGU, HH has just said he wants to have Zambians to be able to EXPORT to DRC and wants to support small businesses to be able to do Business. HE NEVER mentioned Lungu, and No one here blamed LUNGU, so why are you talking of people blaming him? Many bloggers here have explained to you, that the previous presidents did NOT do much, but you keep talking about existing trading. That too has been explained to you by many above, current trade is done by smugglers. Yes there is some trade going on, but HH is PROPOSING expanding that. In other words creating business opportunities for small businesses. Remember HH has created the small biz ministry, LUNGU never cared for small businesses.
#27, #28 – This Thorn in the Flesh
Ba This Thorn in the Flesh, you are now toning down, we know you as being a hardcore PF, you are not telling the truth about what you stand for. We don’t need to go far, just check your comments againts HH, up until 12th Aug.
Your Friends like the Skull and Zambian Citizen are still living in denial, but I commend you for coming back, and hope now you will be fair to HH. Pal, just throw away that useless PF membership card and you will be fine
#27, #28 – This Thorn in the Flesh
Ba This Thorn in the Flesh, you are now toning down, we know you as being a hardcore PF, you are not telling the truth about what you stand for. We don’t need to go far, just check your comments againts HH, up until 12th Aug.
Your Friends like the S.kuull and Zambi.an Citizen are still living in denial, but I commend you for coming back, and hope now you will be fair to HH. Pal, just throw away that usel.ess PF m£mb£rship ca.rd and you will be fine
You can talk as much as you want but if there is no strategic plan to put into action the words and promises—–its all rhetoric. Everyone knows DRC is a huge market, what the President should be telling the nation is his action plan. Guess this is not easy!
Exactly what i expected from armchair critics, meanwhile the chinese are gearing up to rump up production.
@39 Blago,
You sound reasonable, BUT did you even listen to HH`s update on this topic, are you really convinced you understood?
The man was giving an update on his meetings from his trip, and you are expecting him to already OUTLINE strategic plans or action plan? You must know that details comes at the lower level, meaning his ministers will now have to follow through, he has opened the path at higher level, his team need to follow through.
Talking of action plan, the man told you that they have FORMED a working group, that will now work out the details….its as simple as that. FOR now and at this stage, the formation of an action group is an action by itself.
$38 Kanene, Are you reading all postings or you are just targeting me. Several of fellow imbec’s are accusing Lungu’s government of impending trade with the DRC. PF are not responsible because there’s never been smooth trading with this country from time I’m memorial. So you want me to accept a lie. In fact I stopped interaction with you because of insolence.
#38 You think you are more intelligent than everyone here that you keep on trying to shut up?
FOR ALL THE DULL COMMENTATORS HERE SAYING THE PREVIOUS GOVT WAS VISIONLESS WHEN DEALING WITH DRC (KASUMBALESA EXPORTS), DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE OVER 80 MILLION people IN THE DRC NEEDING TO BE FED AND IF ZAMBIA OPENED UP JUST LIKE THAT AND BEGUN TO EXPORT THINGS LIKE MEALIE MEAL, WE WILL BE LEFT WITH NOTHING IN THIS COUNTRY…………………TELL YOUR LEADERS THAT REALITY IS DIFFERENT FROM FICTION. PREVIOUS GOVT DID THEIR STUDY OVER THE MATTER AND ALL USED TO COME UP WITH ONE CONCLUSION. ITS LIKE BEING A NEIGHBOR WITH NIGERIA AND EXPECTING TO FEED THEM.