Siamunene woos US investors

COMMERCE, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Richwell Siamunene took advantage of the American Chamber of Commerce in Zambia annual thanksgiving dinner to promote Zambia as a suitable destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDA) because of the peace the country has continued to enjoy since independence.
Officiating at the thanksgiving dinner on Friday evening, Mr Siamunene urged the American nationals present to attract investors from their country, and assured that their investments would be safe.
Mr Siamunene said the cordial relations between Zambia and the United States of America must continue.
“So we are encouraging you to invite our friends from America to come and invest in Zambia and their investments, I can assure you, will be protected,” he said.
Mr Siamunene said also that Government had embarked on the Private Sector Development Reform Programme to improve the business environment as well as reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
He said the Government’s vision was to have a private sector-driven economy, adding that it was open to ideas from partners like the American Chamber of Commerce in Zambia.
American Embassy political and economic affairs chief of section Timothy Smith pledged America’s support to the private sector in Zambia for them to contribute to economic development.
“I would like to close by echoing the call of the former US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella, who misses Zambia very much.
“He (Mr Storella) said at the launch of the Chamber’s headquarters in Rhodes Park that the US Embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce in Zambia stand ready to work with the Zambian private sector and Government partners to pursue our shared vision of Zambia’s economic potential, to strive to develop the best investment climate in Africa, and to build an economy that stands as a model for the region,” Mr Smith said.

TIMES of ZAMBIA