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Prosper Ndlovu Business Editor
ZAMBIAN President Edgar Lungu says regional member states should forge ahead with implementation of the Southern African Development Community Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap and not bank on any external financial support.Officially opening the 56th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo yesterday, Lungu said industrial turnaround – anchored on value addition and beneficiation – was critical for robust African development.

His sentiments come on the back of an extraordinary Sadc summit on industrialisation that ended in Harare on Wednesday, whose main objective was to put industrialisation at the centre of the regional development agenda.

The Zambian President said value addition and beneficiation were viable engines towards deeper and broader productive capacities and product competitiveness.

“This is in line with our desire in Sadc to exploit our resources and never send them out of our countries only to receive them at a higher value because they’ll be value added beyond our borders.

“I know that we won’t get support from outside the region because they’re the beneficiaries of our raw materials, so we look to ourselves to see how we can go about implementing these processes,” said Lungu.

The regional bloc has adopted a new industrialisation roadmap that is hinged on competitiveness and regional integration to be implemented over three phases covering 2015 to 2063.

Lungu said the theme for this year’s fair, “Stimulating Trade, Seizing Opportunities for Accelerate Growth”, was befitting and timely, coming at a time when the region was implementing reforms aimed at stimulating trade within member states and across the borders.

“The theme, therefore, is timely at this time when we need to seize the various business opportunities around us and accelerate economic growth,” he said.

“We’re also implementing measures aimed at ensuring that we add value to the various resources we’re endowed with.”

Lungu stressed the need for co-existence between member states and learning from each other irrespective of one’s ethnicity or country of origin.

He also challenged member states to perfect their business approaches in order to seize the various business opportunities and accelerate domestic growth in the spirit of ubuntu.

The Zambian leader commended the government of Zimbabwe for making great strides on the economic front and other fields of human endeavour despite challenges.

He said Zimbabwe was a great nation with outstanding hospitality and lauded the cordial relations between the two countries.

“The friendship between Zambia and Zimbabwe, founded by our forefathers, has a great history dating back to the pre-colonial days. The people of Zambia and Zimbabwe have lived and worked together for the common good,” said Lungu.

“We’re indeed Siamese twins, joined by the Zambezi River and the mighty Victoria Falls, the metro monument and one of the Seven Wonders of the World that symbolises both our identity and indeed our culture.

“Every time you talk of Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe simultaneously come into mind although some parts of Africa claim this monumental symbol of our unity.”

Lungu said Zimbabwe occupies a special space in his heart hence it was “the first country I visited after assuming office in January this year”.

He said trade and investment ties between the two countries had strengthened over the years with Zambian exports to Zimbabwe exceeding $1.3 billion between 2010 and 2014 compared to $406 million imports from Zimbabwe over the same period.

Lungu said Zambia and Zimbabwe have since time immemorial, worked together in the implementation of some important projects such as the construction and management of the Kariba Dam, the establishment of a one stop border post at Chirundu which was the first of its kind in Africa, and the co-hosting of the United Nation World Tourism Organisation General Assembly in 2013.

He said ZITF 2015 should be viewed as a celebration that has continuously improved and provided a platform for organisations to interact, create business opportunities and partnerships and promote trade and investment in Zimbabwe and the region.

“It’s worth noting that the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair has traditionally been one of the region’s leading trade fairs. It’s a fair where the best local, regional and international exhibitors have always participated,” said Lungu.

He said ZITF had over the years created a perfect opportunity and window for creating new business partnerships, linkages and networks. Lungu reaffirmed his country’s commitment to ensuring increased trade between the countries in line with this year’s trade fair theme.

“In this regard I’m directing my minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Margaret Mwanakatwe to closely work with her Zimbabwean counterpart and ensure that the Victoria Falls-Livingstone one-stop border post, which was declared by the late Michael Sata during the official opening of the UNWTO in 2013, is operationalised,” he said.

Lungu also vowed to push his minister of Home Affairs to look into the Uni-visa facility, which was launched last year and ensure it was also fully operationalised.

He urged border agencies to complement the efforts of the private sector, particularly small to medium entrepreneurs and ensure that trade between the countries flows smoothly.

“Continued information sharing and engagement with each other is a mature way of solving challenges”, said Lungu.

“If I’ve problems I consult, similarly if you have problems with Zambia, if the problem involves boundaries, you should consult. Similarly agencies working in Zimbabwe should do the same because we’ve a very exemplary relationship.”

The Zambian President pledged increased participation by his country at ZITF and assured ZITF Company board chair Bekithemba Nkomo that he would have direct links with his ministry of Commerce and Trade. He commended the ZITF management for a job well done in ensuring the success of the 56th edition of the fair.