Patriotic Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says the PF government has successfully secured new markets for various Zambian products.

In PF’s weekly news letter to News Diggers! Mwila stated that government had successfully secured new markets for various Zambian products.

“The PF government has successfully secured new markets for various Zambian products. For example, in 2018, the PF Government created a taskforce comprising of Ministries of Livestock and Fisheries, Agriculture, Commerce, Trade and Industry as well as representatives from the private sector. The aim of the taskforce was to develop a roadmap that will help expedite the process of goat and sheep commercialization in Zambia for export to Saudi Arabia, among other markets. Under this agreement facilitated by the PF government, Saudi Arabia shall be importing one million (1,000,000) goats and fresh vegetables on a monthly basis from Zambia,” Mwila stated.

“In addition, the PF Government has also secured a new market for the export of Organic Honey to China. Currently, Zambia’s annual honey production stands at 2,500 tonnes whereas the country currently exports only 1,000 tonnes to the European and African markets, which leaves a surplus of 1,500 tonnes. However, the new market to China secured by the PF Government has the export potential in excess of 3,000 tonnes of Organic Honey.”

He stated that in line with the 7NDP, government was also improving trade facilitation through effective and efficient implementation of the One-Stop Border Posts Establishment Programme (OSBP), to streamline cross-border trade processes.

Mwila added that the OSBP concept was being implemented by government at all other border posts including Nakonde border.

And Mwila stated that in order to further improve trade facilitation through transport infrastructure development, the PF government was currently implementing numerous road construction and rehabilitation projects.

He cited the Link Zambia 8000, which was aimed at Land-Linking Zambia with her neighbours by restoring over 8,000 Km of roads across the country over a period of five to eight years.

“Particularly, the PF government will, through the Link Zambia 8000 effectively link Zambia to the trade markets of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola – thereby accelerating economic diversification and the attainment of Vision 2030,” Mwila stated.

He stated that government, under President Edgar Lungu, was rehabilitating the Chinsali to Nakonde Border Road to facilitate increased trade domestically and with the East African corridor.

“In addition to the above road project, the PF Government under President Lungu is rehabilitating the Chinsali to Nakonde Border Road in order to facilitate increased trade domestically and with the East African corridor, through the provision of faster and safer movement of goods and people along this important trading route,” he stated.

Mwila further stated that government, through the Road Development Agency had signed two contracts for the rehabilitation of the Great North Road from Chinsali to Nakonde, which had been divided into Lot one and two.

“More specifically, government through RDA has signed two contracts for the rehabilitation of the Great North Road from Chinsali to Nakonde in Muchinga Province, which has been divided into Lot one and Lot two. Lot one, from Chinsali to Isoka, a 103 kilometre stretch has been awarded to China State Construction Engineering Limited at a contract sum of K 785,773,382. 49 and Lot two, with a stretch of 107 from Isoka to Nakonde has been awarded to China Railway Seventh Group Co. Zambia Limited at a contract sum of K713, 866,768.53,” stated Mwila.

“Lot two also includes the urban section of the road to the border with Tanzania. The project is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which is contributing US Dollar 193Million, Africa Growing Together Fund US Dollar 50Million, and US Dollar 12.76 million from the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ).”

He added that government, through RDA, would complete the rehabilitation of the Chinsali to Nakonde Road within 40 months.

Mwila stated that another major road construction and rehabilitation project was the Ndola to Lusaka Dual Carriageway, which upon completion, shall boost inclusive economic development.