The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has received possible investment pledges worth US$ 19,950,000 from the business community in Botswana at the just ended GlobalExpo held in Gaborone.
The investment pledges are coming from the manufacturing sector, the service sector and agriculture sector.
ZDA Market Development Specialist Tombozi Tembo said the Agency received 122 enquiries of export and investment opportunities, 88 were enquiries on potential exports from Zambia to Botswana and 34 enquiries for investment in Zambia.
She added that there is export potential of over US$6 million.
“Most of the products that the Botswana market is looking for is maize, soya beans, sunflower cake, wheat bran, maize bran, groundnuts and beans. We also had a discussion with Choppies that asked us to send potential product lists to their company to be able to see what products they are possibly able to buy from our Zambian manufacturers. We feel that with these potential leads, Zambia and Botswana are able to actualize a lot of investments and trade potential between the two countries,” Tembo said.
ZDA won the third place in the category of best country pavilion at the expo which attracted 200 exhibitors from Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, India, Indonesia, Eswatini, Namibia and Kenya.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to Botswana Brighton Litula congratulated ZDA for performing well at the GlobalExpo by attracting significant trade and investment opportunities for Zambia and for scooping the award.
Mr Litula urged ZDA to consider increasing the number of participating companies and product sample lines in future Expos in order for more Zambian products to be exposed to international markets.
He further implored the Agency to sensitize the Zambian Business Community back home about the business opportunities created in Botswana by the Zambian High Commission in Gaborone as well as from the just ended GlobalExpo, especially the export of agro products to feed Botswana’s thriving livestock subsector. He informed ZDA that currently, the trade between the two countries is dominated mostly by the small scale cross border traders.
ZDA represented nine companies namely, Afri seed, Delux Agro Limited, ETG World Group, Pembe Milling Limited and Ngwazi Globe Limited. The other companies include Avana General Dealers, Lampstands limited, Umoyo Natural Health and Yatu tea. Out of which four companies physically attended the Expo while five sent their products.
This is contained in a statement Issued by Julia Malunga First Secretary Press Zambia High Commission Gaborone, Botswana.
