Zambia relooks its investments campaign

Permanent secretary for the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Davidson Chilipamushi has disclosed that government is currently enticing potential investors from India, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to invest in the MFEZ with the latest one to be developed in Lusaka.

He said work on the capital city MFEZ, to be established near the Lusaka International Airport, will commence with designing of the zone. Other similar MFEZ designs of the zone have been done by Japanese government.

Capitalising on all possible investment avenues, government is also interested in improving its energy industry where it has already courted local and foreign consultants to look at improving the petroleum sector.

This is at a time when a local firm, Pezolina Mining and Contractors is also set to invest about US$600,000 for gypsum on the Copperbelt and central provinces.

The company's operations manager Philip Schopper explained that gypsum is used in the manufacturing of ceramics, plaster of Paris, school chalk as well as fertiliser and therefore this is a very important project.

“Prospecting of the mineral which is in abundance in most parts of Zambia, would start in November when all the logistics would be put in place,” said Schopper who added that the project has already attracted a partnership arrangement with a firm from the Middle East.

Although a Zambian delegation has already left for the Middle East and other targeted countries to sell their idea of MFEZ this is not in relation to the gypsum project.

Chinese government has already shown interest in Chambishi MFEZ, where various Chinese investors will be pumping in an estimated US$900m which will go into mining, trading, manufacturing and other activities.

In the petroleum sector head of procurement and supplies unit, in the ministry of energy and water development, Sibeso Mataa said consultants are already on the ground and will be submitting a report within ten weeks with a budget not exceeding US$350,000.

Mataa said the study aims at assessing options available for improving petroleum supply and infrastructure.
While Zambia is grappling to turn itself into an investment destination, Mataa said there is need for the country to ensure that it meets its petroleum requirements up to 2030.

“Consultants would also ensure that petroleum products are supplied efficiently and at lowest cost to the economy, taking into account the country's strategic development objectives,” he said.