By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
THE Standard Bank of South Africa has said that Zambia is a key economy in Africa.
Standard Bank chief executive officer for Africa Region Sola Borha said Zambia is a powerful lever for the growth of the continent.
Ms Borha said this in a mail sent to the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, South Africa, inviting Zambia to participate at the roundtable discussion on economic diplomacy under the theme: Making it easier to do business in Africa.
This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
Ms Borha said Zambia’s participation at the roundtable discussion which attracted several chief executive officers from the private sector, diplomats and representative of other government agencies, was cardinal because the country was a power switch for the continent’s peace and prosperity.
And Zambia has expressed happiness with Africa’s annual expenditure of US$ 9 trillion towards infrastructure development Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba said
Africa’s investment in infrastructure has made the continent to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Mr Mwamba said this during the roundtable discussion on economic diplomacy held at the Standard Bank head office in Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa.
He said Zambia was happy with Africa’s positive economic outlook, despite negative international media reports of the continent.
Mr Mwamba said African countries should continue investing in infrastructure development to unlock Africa’s potential in agriculture, tourism, commerce and entrepreneurship.
He said African countries should increase trade with each other because the continent had the best business prospects and that South Africa should consider importing soya cake from Zambia, which was in abundance, unlike importing from South America.