By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
ZAMBIA could make more money in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) from agriculture by growing maize and produce mealie meal whose price is double in that country.
This is according to the DR Congo Vice Governor of Haut Katanga Province Jean-Claude Kamfwa Kimimba, who has emphasised that his country has a huge population of over 100 million people whose main food is nsima.
Mr Kimimba, stressed that Zambia could make more money in DR Congo from agriculture than from mining.
He said this recently when Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary, Mushuma Mulenga, paid a courtesy call on him in DRC.
“You can make more money from agriculture here than from mining. You need to invest in agriculture, produce maize for us and produce mealie meal. The price of mealie meal here is double your price.
“You have a chance to do very well in business in this area,” Mr Kimimbaobserved.
Mr Kimimba said the decision by President Hakainde Hichilema to consider DR Congo an important trade partner would help the Congolese government to reinforce their resolve to remove trade barriers between Zambia and DR Congo.
He particularly appreciated the statement by President Hichilema to consider the Congolese as partners and Zambia’s major customers.
“I appreciate the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema. The idea of trading with the Democratic Republic of Congo is a good and there is a big opportunity for Zambia. We will remove the trade barriers,” he declared.
Meanwhile, Mr Mulenga has assured importers and exporters from Zambia and the DR Congo of a safe and conducive trade environment between the two countries.
He said DR Congo and Zambia would do everything possible to put in place policies aimed at creating a conducive trade environment.
Mr Mulenga said that both governments had been holding series of bilateral talks to address the trade barriers between the two countries.
And the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Acting Director General, Albert Halwampa, said the agency was working on modalities for increasing the frequency of trade missions to DR Congo.
Mr Halwampa reaffirmed ZDA’s commitment to hand holding the Zambian enterprises, offering technical advice till they got their first trade and export deals.
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