PRETORIA – SUNDAY, 20TH NOVEMBER, 2016 – A Trade Mission of about 11 Polish Companies and Government representatives arrives in Zambia today to explore investment opportunities and business cooperation with Zambia.
The 23-member Polish delegation is expected to meet Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Harry Kalaba; Energy and Water Resources, Mr. David Mabumba; Defence, Mr. Davies Chama, and Agriculture, Ms. Dora Siliya. They will also hold talks with Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Director General, Mr. Patrick Chisanga, president of the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI), Mr. Geoffrey Sakalunda, president of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) Mrs. Roseta Chabala, and president of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Mr. Jervis Zimba. The delegation, which arrives this afternoon, will be in Zambia until 25th November. Poland has decided to send the team after noting that together with Zambia, the two administrations were strongly in favour of mutual cooperation. This has, partly been demonstrated through an inter-governmental agreement for a loan of US$100 million which is at the final negotiation stage. The loan is meant for the development and modernisation of agricultural technical equipment in Zambia. Earlier this year, Polish Ambassador to Zambia (resident in South Africa), Her Excellency Madam Anna Raduchowska-Brochwicz travelled to Zambia and held a series of discussions with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade & Industry on cooperation possibilities that resulted in interest from Zambian partners in the field of Information Communications Technology, infrastructure development (railways, roads and dams) and housing. Discussions were also held with regard to project implementation in the defence sector. The companies on the trade mission include those from the automotive sector, mining, steel industry, agriculture and defence.There will be a Polish-Zambia Business Forum, tomorrow, Monday, 21st November which is organised by the Polish Chamber of Commerce, and the Trade and Investment Promotion section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Johannesburg, South Africa. The event is supported by ZACCI, ZDA, ZAM and ZNFU. The business forum is expected to create a platform for better understanding of trade and investment opportunities that exist between the two countries. The investment opportunities that would be considered mainly relate to agriculture, focusing on agricultural infrastructure; the processing industry; mining; steel industry; automotive; energy; infrastructure and defence sectors.
The Polish Chamber of Commerce and ZACCI will also sign a memorandum of understanding at the same event.
On Wednesday, 23rd November, the delegation will fly to Livingstone where it will hold meetings with officials from the Victoria Falls University and various other business entities.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba has expressed joy at the development pointing out that the High Commission was happy that the efforts which it started making from as far back as March this year have finally materialised into the trade mission.
Mr. Mwamba said the High Commission has been working with the Polish Mission in Pretoria, which is also accredited to Zambia, and in April facilitated the visit to Zambia by Ambassador Raduchowska-Brochwicz to meet representatives of government and private institutions.
“It is this work which we started months back that has resulted in this trade mission going to Zambia today. We are optimistic that a number of positive developments will follow after the visit by this 23-strong man Polish delegation to Zambia,” Mr. Mwamba said.
Apart from representatives from the 11 companies, the delegation comprises Her Excellency Madam Raduchowska-Brochwicz; Head of the Trade and Investment Promotion Section, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in South Africa, Mr. Andrzej Krezel; Member of the Polish Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee to Africa, Mr. Killion Munyama (a Zambian born); Honorary Consul of the Republic of Zambia to Poland, Mr. Bartosz Brusikiewicz; Deputy Director in the Polish Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Economic Development, Mr. Marcin Jankowski, and Mrs. Anna Maleta, Specialist for the African countries, Department of Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
First Secretary for Economic and Trade at the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, Mr. Mande Kauseni, is accompanying the Polish delegation.
Issued by:
Nicky Shabolyo
PRESS SECRETARY
HIGH COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA
Mobile: 00 27 810027548 Email: press@zambiapretoria.net; nshabolyo@gmail.com