Commerce Trade and industry Deputy Minster Richard Taima says Zambia still has a lot of investment opportunities that should be explored by investors.
Mr. Taima says government is hence committed to playing a leading role towards efforts aimed at attracting more investment in the country.
Speaking in Lusaka today when a 12 member Germany Business delegation called on him at his office, Mr. Taima said government considers foreign investment as one of the most important sector that is supplementing its efforts especially in job creation.
Mr. Taima noted that Zambia is a growing economy that requires a lot of investment in its different economic sectors.
He further added that owing to its political stability that encourages more investors, Zambia has remained one of the most stable investment destinations in Africa.
He pointed out that the country’s investment environment has also continued to improve hence attracting more foreign investment in the country.
Mr. Taima disclosed that this is why government has put in place intervention plans that are targeted at creating a favorable environment for doing business for investors in all sectors.
He added that specific areas such as the Tourism and the Mining sectors have also been identified to assist government in creating employment opportunities for local people.
The Minster further added that government has also reduced the number of business licenses for prospective investors from about 500 to 300 in a bid to create a more competitive investment industry in the country.
Meanwhile, Mr. Taima has expressed concern that despite all these interventions in place by government some sectors of the economy have still not attracted many investors.
He cited the Education and Energy sectors as some of the sectors that need to be marketed if they are attract more investment.
And Germany’s Ambassador to Zambia Irene Henrichsen , who led the delegation, said despite the current global economic crisis there is need for economic growing countries to continue attracting more investment.
Dr. Henrichsen explained that there is no need for countries in the world to change or transfer their investment potentials that can disturb their economic growth in the wake of the crisis.
She said this why new investment plans in all sectors should be embraced if diversification is to be enhanced.
Dr. Henrichsen explained there is also need for Zambia to ensure that all its economic key sectors are covered when encouraging investors in the country.
The 12 member delegation is in the country to hold a series of meeting with key economic players such as the Zambia Development Agency and the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry among other organizations.
ZANIS
Where is this person getting their information from!
Mr. Taima’s investment optimism is quite superlative. Anyway, it’s good to see that German businessmen are also starting to show interest to invest in Zambia. A welcome change from the invasion of the Red Dragon.
in the area of tourism,they should consider working on making the country cheaper and easier to fly to. it is cheaper for me to fly to florida USA to swim with dolfins than fly to zambia. its cheaper to fly to asia than zambia,this alone is a major obstacle to tourists. zambia has some of the best attractions but alot of work has to be done by our govt and ZTB.
Mr Taima, I have always admired people like yourself who have risen from humble beginings through hard work. But you should never forget where you came from by accepting corruption in your midist which is the main reason why some sectors are not attracting investment.
Zambia has been a rich country from the begining of time but unfortunately it has always had poor leadership without genuine foresight to develop a modern econoomy to uplift the living standards of the people. Talk, talk, talk and talk that is all our leadership does. Look at RB in Capetown today. Is he really attracting investors when he does not even a clinic to operate on his knee? Investors can’t see that Mr Taima, aaah?
Iwe Taima, who told you?
This is what annoys me… 12 Member german Business Delegation team lead by the German Ambassador to Zambia. And they are talking to the bloody Deputy Minister !!! where are the big guns?? The Germans are industrialists .. Zambia is and should be an Industrial powere house in Energy etc… Secondary processing of Minerals and we need more ZAMEFA’s .. Irone and Steel is what we should now be looking at.. The Germanare the giants.. where is RB??????? AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!