The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) says in 2018, projected Chinese investments that went through the Agency was an excess of US$2 billion representing about 49% of the total projected investments.
The agency has also implored Zambian exporters to access the Chinese market through the China Desk set at the Zambia Development Agency.
The Agency says China Desk offers strategic and technical guidance to Chines investors and prospective investors on the investment opportunities available and possible joint ventures between Zambian and Chinese investors and entrepreneurs.
ZDA in partnership with the International Trade Centre through the Partnership for Investment and Growth in Africa (PIGA) project created a China Desk at the Agency to facilitate for Zambian and Chinese business corporations.
The creation of the Chinese Desk was as a realization of the growing importance of China as a business partner both in trade and investment.
In partnership with the Agency, PIGA offers strategic and technical guidance to Chinese investors and prospective investors on the investment opportunities available, facilitating trade and possible joint ventures between Zambian and Chinese investors and entrepreneurs.
“The China desk further facilitates for Zambian enterprises to export their products to the Chinese market through helping them to participate in various trade fairs and exhibitions including the China International Import Expo among others,” elaborated ZDA Director General Perry Mapani.
Mr. Mapani adds that PIGA has been working on a web portal that will be linked to the ZDA website in both Chinese and English to further make it easier for both parties to have relevant information on investment climate opportunities, rules and regulations.
Working with the Agency, the project also offers tailor made trainings to enterprises on various aspects of business and how to approach the Chinese market in particular.
“China is one of the major economic players in Zambia and across the continent hence the importance of coming up with strategies to deal with market and Chinese investors,” said Mr. Mapani.
“In the year 2018, projected Chinese investments that came through the Agency was an excess of US$2 billion representing about 49 percent of the total projected investments. The projected investment figures for 2018 shows how important a business partner China is and it cannot go unnoticed,” he said.
The goal of PIGA and the China Desk is to increase exports, jobs and local development through foreign investments and business partnerships in the agro processing and light manufacturing sectors in Zambia.
PIGA is a partnership of the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Department for International Development (DFID), the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the China Africa Development Fund (CAD Fund) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
Under this partnership, DFID, CCPIT, CAD Fund and ITC jointly aim to increase investment-led exports and local development in two productive sectors, agro processing and light manufacturing, in Zambia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Mozambique.
PIGA is a component of Invest Africa, a large DFID programme linking private sector investors, buyers, financiers and governments in several African countries, to boost manufacturing and create jobs by increasing foreign direct investment (FDI).