TEDDY KUYELA, Lusaka
THIRTY-two African countries accredited to Turkey on Monday commemorated the Africa Day with Zambia being at the centre of attraction at a business-materials exhibition session where missions based in Ankara, displayed investment and tourism promotion materials, and interacted with potential investors.
The Zambian mission’s table, which was manned by first secretary-economic Cephas Silwamba and first secretary-tourism Sydney Zulu, was swarmed with several Turkish business executives who sought guidance on how to invest in Zambia.
This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by deputy head of mission at the Zambia’s embassy in Ankara, Turkey, Bwalya Nondo.
The interest in Zambia by potential investors was generated by the country being an oasis of peace.
Materials displayed at the Zambian stand detailing investment opportunities and incentives available in the country in energy, agriculture, constructions and tourism among others, were highly sought after by potential Turkish investors.
The business-materials exhibition session was held on the sidelines of a Turkey-Africa Business Forum at which Ambassadors representing Southern, East, North and West Africa, made presentations on investment opportunities in their regions before a capacity-business audience of 200 people.
The business forum was organised by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), whose president Omer Cihad Vardan noted that Turkey’s quest to strengthen economic cooperation with Africa, was a shared goal with the continent.
Officiating at the business forum in which the Turkey-Africa Business Forum also participated, Deputy under- Secretary for Bilateral Political and African Affairs in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ali Kemal Aydin observed that Africa has a lot of potential for economic transformation and pledged that country’s support to the development agenda of the continent.
The business forum was followed by an African night reception with a musical performance from a Moroccan cultural group.