Zambia invites Mauritius to invest, take advantage of tax holidays in agriculture sector

The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has urged Mauritius to take advantage of investment opportunities in the agriculture sector.

ZDA Director General, Albert Halwampa, said Mauritius should explore investments especially in the cotton value chain in the country.

Speaking at the official opening of the two day Zambia-Mauritius Business Forum in Chongwe on Monday, Halwampa said Mauritius should take advantage of tax holidays in the agriculture sector.

ZDA Director General said trade between the two countries was low hence the need to do more to enhance investment.

Halwampa said Zambia was perfectly positioned to help Mauritius in the promotion of value chains in the mining sector.

“We are also promoting value chains in the mineral space. As you are aware, Zambia is ready in terms of minerals, we project to produce at least 3 million tonnes of copper in the next 10 years. You can see my opportunities stemming from energy, logistics, electric car batteries and so on,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Economic Development Board Mauritius, Director for Industry, Geerish Bucktowonsing, said that the country wants to explore the untapped Zambia’s manufacturing potential in different sectors.

Bucktowonsing said Zambia being a member of the African Continent Free Trade Area and regional bodies such as COMESA and SADC gave Mauritius the confidence to engage with the country.

He said Zambia was endowed with raw materials that industries can utilize regarding value addition.

“We are so rich in natural resources. We are strong in value addition. This could be a good opportunity in developing partnerships in view to conquer markets and selling in the region,” Bucktowonsing said when he spoke to the media on the sidelines of the two day forum.

Meanwhile, Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary in charge of Trade, Lillian Bwalya, said the government was working tirelessly at creating a conducive business environment not just for local businesses but even international.

In a speech read on her behalf by Director for Domestic Trade, Margaret Chikuba, the Permanent Secretary urged participants at the forum to work towards coming up with investment ideas beneficial for both countries.

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