Africast, Transport Ministry set to host conference, exhibition showcasing AfCFTA opportunities

This year’s Land Linked Zambia Conference and Exhibition has attracted participation from seven African countries.

The forthcoming second edition has to date attracted participation from Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia itself.

Organized by Africast in close collaboration with the Ministry of Transport & Logistics, this year’s conference will take place in Lusaka, Zambia under the theme “Leveraging on the impacts of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for the African Transport & Logistics Industry.”

Africast Chief Executive Officer Chimwemwe Nyirenda, said Conference and Exhibition was a localisation of Transport sector events that had grown in demand across the globe owing to the economic prowess of the transport sector in countries that have invested appropriately, Chimwemwe said at a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday.

“Further, we have attracted participation from key bodies such as the African Union through the economic social & cultural council (ECOSOCC), African Export Import Bank, European Union and Southern African Development Community,” Chimwemwe added.

Read more: Zambian companies join over 300 exhibitors in S/Africa to market local opportunities at Meetings Africa Conference

At the same function, Transport and Logistics Permanent Secretary Fredrick Mwalusaka observed the need to develop sustainable transport systems which aligned economic growth with regard for the economic and environmental sustainability.

Mwalusaka said it was therefore gratifying that Africast Zambia recognised the significant opportunity that transport played in economic and regional development.

“It was with this, that the land-linked Zambia conference was developed in order to provide a valuable platform for stakeholder engagement in the region.

“There is a consensus in the region on Zambia’s unique positioning as the economic gateway for the region, which undoubtedly leads to the need to optimise the potential of the country by having a transport and logistics network that meets the needs of all,” he said.

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