For the second year running, ZAM in collaboration with the USAID Trade Hub will be hosting exporters awards. At a press briefing held on 6th June 2022, ZAM announced that it wants to be part of the changing narrative of increased value-added non-traditional exports and was going to celebrate those manufacturers that were overcoming challenges by exporting into the South African and United States of America Markets by awarding them. With support from the USAID the upcoming Exporter Awards are to be held on 8th of July 2022. The objectives of the press briefing were to mainly announce that an important event was underway.
Ms. Florence Muleya highlighted how exports have far fetching benefits; bringing in foreign exchange, creating employment, play a key role in poverty alleviation and are central for the socio-economic development but that Zambia’s trade remains dominated by copper. She stated in her speech that while Zambia has been trading with South Africa under the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for about 31 years and with the United States of America under the African growth and opportunity act (AGOA) for about 22 years, the country continues to record huge trade deficits. In 2021 alone, Zambia recorded a trade deficit of about $1,955,305,000 when trading with South Africa and $261,132,000 when trading with the United States of America.
“South Africa and the USA were two key markets identified as strategic export destinations for non-traditional exports (NTEs) because the NTEs into these markets were recorded at above 90%” she said. To support and celebrate companies that were overcoming the challenges of exporting into these destinations, ZAM in collaboration with the USAID trade hub, will be hosting the 2nd Zambia exporter awards on the 8th July 2022. She further alluded to the fact that these awards seek to recognise champions of industry who have achieved successful and consistent trade. The awards will also recognise and not leave out the export ready companies, which have the potential to become big exporters.
Mr. Obby Banda, Acting Director Export Development from the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) gave a supporting presentation on among other things Zambia’s trade portfolio, demonstrating the exports and imports of Zambia’s products. He also highlighted Zambia’s export potential where he interestingly revealed that 2 products in the name of copper and cobalt make up traditional exports and comprise 70% of Zambia’s export trade while the other thousands of products known as NTEs make up the other 30%. He highlighted the trade constraints that need to be overcome such as infrastructure deficits and non-tariff barriers such as information gaps that the Government was working to address. In his closing remarks, he encouraged more business owners to get into exporting much of their finished produce to surrounding countries and beyond.
Photo 1. From front to back; Ms Florence Muleya ZAM CEO seated alongside Mr. Obby Banda Director, ZDA. At the back from far right Mr Kasonde Chituta; Ms Jeanette Nanyangwe; USAID Trade Officer; Ms Florence Mulenga, Senior Economist MCTI, and Mr Peter Manda USAID Trade Hub Zambia Representative with some ZAM staff members.
