The Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia has partnered with the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations to accelerate the work of the Zambia-Ethiopia Business Forum.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba said Government has shifted focus in line with the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), from political to economic diplomacy.
He said this was to ensure that Zambia maximized benefits from countries of accreditation in Foreign Missions.
Mr Mwamba who is also Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union(AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA), said in view of this, the Embassy had embarked on an aggressive campaign to maximise on the economic benefits that Zambia could realise from Ethiopia and countries of extra accreditation which included Sudan and Djibouti.
He said that trade between the two states averaged about $200million which could be dramatically scaled up with exports from Zambia such as sugar which Ethiopia was urgenlty looking for.
And Addisa Ababa Chamber of Commerce Secretary General, Getachew Regassa has welcomed the proposed formation of the Zambia Ethiopia Business Forum, saying it was a sure means of fast tracking trade and investment between the private sector players of both countries.
Mr Getachew said this when Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba paid a courtesy call on him.
He emphasised that the Business Forum would create a platform for the private sector to engage and discuss trade and investment opportunities existing in both countries.
He said it was through platforms like the business forum that business delegation visits would be facilitated between the two countries.
The Secretary General requested Mr Mwamba to help implement the Memorandum of Understanding-MoU- that the Chamber signed with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
He said he was happy that Mr Mwamba had expressed commitment to revive the MoU and go a step further to propose the establishment of the Zambia-Ethiopia Business Forum between the two countries.
He said it was important that the MoU signed between the two Chambers of Commerce was actualised and , further stated that the envisaged Business Forum would not work in isolation but with full support from both Chambers.
The Ambassador stressed that in View of the planned launch of the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA) in July, 2019, the need for the private sector players of both countries to develop strategies that would ensure that they maximise benefits from the larger free market.
Issued by;
Mrs .Inutu Mupango Mwanza
First Secretary- Press & Tourism
Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
