Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga has underscored the importance of joint ventures and partnerships in driving economic growth across Africa.
Mr Mulenga says such partnerships will help boost local industries and empower the private sector to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Minister was speaking during a high-level panel discussion focusing on policy harmonization for continental trade with Trade Ministers from Botswana and Ghana at the African Trade Conference 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Mr Mulenga outlined a five-point policy mantra aimed at strengthening collaboration among African countries.
He highlighted investing, producing, processing, marketing and selling together as African countries as key strategies to foster revenue sharing and facilitate skills transfer between foreign and local investors, as well as the private sector.
“The aim is to create jobs for young people yearning for employment through partnerships that drive investment, production, and processing,” Mr Mulenga said.
Mr Mulenga reiterated the importance of strengthening intra-African trade and investing in trade-enabling infrastructure to unlock the continent’s vast economic potential.
He further called for stronger policy harmonization among African countries, particularly through aligning regulatory frameworks, standards, and customs procedures to facilitate the seamless movement of goods and services across borders.
