MWAPE MWENYA, Lusaka
DURING President Edgar Lungu’s state visit to Mozambique in 2016, Zambia and that country signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide a framework for trade.
During that visit, President Lungu held bilateral talks with his Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Nyusi, aimed at increasing trade in key economic sectors such as agriculture, energy, transport and communication.
Over the past three years, Mozambique has enjoyed a favourable trade balance compared to Zambia due to the increase in exports of electricity, fuel and fertiliser to Zambia.
Both countries are working on operationalising a one- stop border post at Chanida (Zambia)/Cassacatiza (Mozambique) border, which once completed will increase trade between the two countries.
Against this background the Zambian Mission in Maputo is working at bridging the gap in trade, which currently favours Mozambique.
In today’s column, Zambia’s High Commissioner to Mozambique, Paul Lumbi, talks about trade and how the two countries have been collaborating in many areas of interest.
Q: How does Zambia benefit from the economic diplomacy it shares with Mozambique? In which areas of cooperation can the two countries work together to enhance this relationship?
A: In 2014, Zambia revised its Foreign Policy, shifting focus from political cooperation to enhancing economic cooperation through trade and foreign direct investment.
For trade, Zambia as a land-linked country relies on transporting goods through neighbouring countries to gain access to sea ports and international markets and CLICK TO READ MORE