By JOHN CHOLA
The Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) and the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to boost trade between the two countries.
The MOU was signed during a Namibia Trade Promotion Business dinner held at Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Namibian High Commissioner to Zambia Siyave Haindongo who cited key similarities between the two countries and the political will of the political leaders as factors leading to the signing of the MOU.
ZACCI President Chibuka Kawesha said, “the collaboration between the governments makes it easier for the private sector to collaborate.”
It was hoped that the MOU would enhance information exchange, consultation levels and business between the two countries.
NCCI President Bisey Uirab led a 26-member Namibian delegation representing 17 companies on a trade mission to Lusaka, Zambia from August 3 to 9. They represented diverse industries catering for fish, sugar, meat, vegetables; textile, timber, leather, cosmetics, mining, energy, tourism, transport and logistics.
The delegation also had an opportunity to visit the 95th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show which provided more opportunities for business linkages.
Uirab said the visit had been marked by active engagement and promising prospects for future collaboration with Zambia’s diverse sectors.
The ZACCI and NCCI focused on interventions to support and capacitate SMEs to ensure their participation in bilateral and intra-regional trade activities.
The trade visit was preceded by a Zambia-Namibia Business Forum, hosted within the showgrounds and graced by Minister for Commerce Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga. The interactive event led by a panel of industry leaders discussed enhanced bilateral economic activities and effective collaboration on emergent opportunities.
At the event, Siyave Haindongo who is Namibian High Commissioner to Zambia, Hippy Tjivikua CEO of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group and Dino Ballotti, the Executive Director at MSME Development, Innovation and Acceleration at NIPDB highlighted investment opportunities in Namibia and touched on strategies to enhance bilateral trade with Zambia.
