THERE is really no country in the world that has seen meaningful growth and development through foreign investment without the full collaboration and involvement of its local legionnaire of investors.

Another stark reality is that there is no foreign investor who will come all the way from his or her country of origin to stake millions of dollars just because they love Zambia. There is always self interest in the equation and it all boils down to profits.

Our lessons over runaway investors have been long and bitter, the more recent case being the abandonment of the mines by some investors who no sooner had the price of metals on the London Metal Exchange dropped than they immediately started relocating and giving all kinds of excuses for their exit.

The fallout has been too obvious as has been evidenced by the number of stranded former workers now on the streets of the Copperbelt with no other visible sources of income to feed their families.

Other than just the immediate loss of jobs, the social-economic implication as a result of this development is one that is more devastating and catastrophic, leaving in its wake a despondent populace slowly being decimated by the ravages of poverty, hunger and disease.

It is in this light that the launch of the first ever cellular phone assembly plant financed and owned by Zambians is laudable and must be supported by Government and the public.

What is now expected is that even as hundreds of new jobs are created as a result of this new investment, workers aspirations, in terms of employment opportunities have better guarantees because of this local ownership.

Saying this is not to insinuate that all foreign investors who have made Zambia their second home, through their massive investments, have reneged on their promises as equal partners in development.

From the lessons learnt in most ofAfrica thus far it is needful thatthere be clearly designated and stringently enforced laws, which only allow meaningful and beneficial interaction between the foreign investors and local communities.

The worry is that without such clearly stipulated regulations which oblige foreign investors to do their part in advancing local interests, workers will always fall victim to the whims of entrepreneurs who never see beyond their profits, enabled by a flawed local labour law.

What must be encouraged even here in Zambia is that such strategic partnerships between local and foreign investors be encouraged.

It is the hope of the nation that this new phone plant is the start to more locally driven and financed industry. This is the greatest hope for meaningful development.