The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry says government has come up with policies to foster Zambia’s industrialization agenda.
Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Kayula Siame said this in commemoration of the Africa Industrialization Day which falls on the 20th of November every year.
The United Nations General Assembly in 1989 declared 20th, November as ‘Africa Industrialization Day’.
The 2018 UN Africa Industrialization Day has focused on “Promoting Regional Value Chain in Africa; A pathway for accelerating Africa’s Structured Transformation, Industrialization and Pharmaceutical Production”.
Ms Kayula tells Money FM News that the policies put in place by her ministry include the National Industrial Policy.
“Zambia’s first stand-alone policy on industrialization development outlines the strategy focus for Zambia’s Industrialization. The implementation of the National Industrialization Policy is expected to foster new industrial capacity, promote the diversification of production, facilitate the creation of inter-sectoral and inter industry linkages and promote the establishment of cooperatives across value chain,” she said.
She said Zambia is promoting the development of industry specific skills and facilitate the shifting of economic activity towards higher value-added activities to spur sustainable economic development.
“The ministry also developed National Local Content Strategy which aims at fostering business linkages in growth sectors as well as create linkages between Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEMs) and larger enterprises.