Government has urged stakeholders in the transport sector to participate in the 2023 Land-Linked Zambia Conference and Exhibition, slated for 23rd to 24th March 2023 in Lusaka.
Ministry of Transport and Logistics Permanent Secretary, Fredrick Mwalusaka, says the Land-Linked Conference and Exhibition will enable Zambia to have a valuable platform for stakeholders’ engagement in the region.
Mr Mwalusaka adds that the conference will attract a number of participants in the transport sector from African countries such as the National Transport Agency from Angola and Walvis Bay Port authorities from Namibia among others.
He was speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today.
Mr Mwalusaka pointed out that there is a consensus in the region on Zambia’s unique positioning as the economic gateway for the region.
“The Land-Linked position of Zambia has the potential to lead the country to having a transport and logistics network that meets the needs of all,” he said.
He further said tripartite regions of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Royal African Company (RAC) have significant trade and can also leverage on the African continental free trade area to further enhance trade in the region.
“I am pleased to report the significant progress made in preparing for the event, which will attract a number of participants in the transport sector from regional countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania and Namibia,” he said.
And Africast Chief Executive Officer, Chimwemwe Nyirenda, said his organisation has identified the opportunity in a local platform of engagement that brought together stakeholders with an intermodal approach to development.
Mr Nyirenda explained that the Land-Linked Zambia Conference and Exhibition is a localisation of the transport sector events that have grown in demand across the globe owing to the economic prowess of the sector in the countries that have invested appropriately.
“Through our partnership with the government, we were able to host over four hundred participants last year, and the forthcoming second edition will attract about seven countries in Africa region,” he said.
The Land-Linked Zambia Conference and Exhibition this year is themed: ‘Leveraging on the Impacts of the African Continental Free Trade Area for African Transport Industry focusing on the intra-Africa movement of goods and people’.
