Chishimba Chishimba
6 July 2009
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has called for increased trade and social interaction between his country and Zambia even in the face of the global financial crunch.
Mr Kikwete said in Ndola yesterday that he was impressed that Zambia had continued to enjoy peace, the more reason why his country would continue to pool its financial and material resources to invest in the country.
Mr Kikwete was speaking when he graced the Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) where his Zambian counterpart Rupiah Banda was also present.
"The stability that this country enjoys encourages us to think more to invest here. I've been to Lusaka, but today I am here in Ndola. I am out of Lusaka, but I think that increased trade in the peaceful country is fine," he said.
He regretted that trade between Zambia and Tanzania had gone down and suggested that there was need for immediate redress.
Mr Kikwete said that trade had reduced by more than 60 per cent, but indicated that the scenario still called for commitment so that there was an improvement.
He said that Tanzania on its part would ensure that the interaction with Zambia increased because the potential was on both sides.
"The trade is shamefully low. We need to improve the situation. This is not for one country or the other to blame. It is for the two countries," he said.
Mr Kikwete said that there was commitment from both countries to respect what was obtaining in TAZAMA and other projects.
He was happy that the two countries enjoyed political stability and encouraged Zambians to continue being so.
Earlier, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said that there should be innovation and creativity among traders and other entrepreneurs if the economic trade was to continue.
Mr Mutati said the Government on its part was committed and in the first phase of development had placed the Kitwe-Chingola Road to be a dual carriageway.
The minister said the Government had not only placed the Copperbelt as the economic breadbasket, but it was also opening up the rural and peri-urban areas.
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