. Mwanakatwe
By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
ZAMBIA’s trade agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) remain unchanged despite UK’s imminent pullout from the EU, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe has said.
Ms Mwanakatwe said Zambia’s trade agreements between the UK and EU are intact, adding that the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreement with EU membership would continue.
“The good thing is that the groupings such as the World Trade Organisation will not collapse which EU is party to as well as Britain,” Ms Mwanakatwe said.
She said in an interview that the EU was at the forefront of global initiatives to help least developed countries like Zambia through the ‘Everything but Arms’ trade.
“We have the bilateral agreements as well as trade agreements in place which will not be disturbed at all,” she said.
Separately, former Economic Association of Zambia president Isaac Ngoma said the decision would have a moderate impact on Zambia in the areas of trade and foreign policy.
Mr Ngoma said the relationship between the UK and Zambia would continue because of the historic aspects.
“The EU may essentially continue with its economic and foreign policy on Zambia, but may reconsider a few things because of its dynamic structure.
“We expect a moderate impact on Zambia, especially on the trade and foreign policy but not severe,” Mr Ngoma said.
