Maravi

Envoy urges more investment in DRC

Envoy urges more investment in DRC
By Maluba Jere
Wednesday July 02, 2008 [04:00]

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo (DRC) Ambassador to Zambia Johnson Wa Binana has urged Zambia to invest in his country and help reconstruct its economy. And defence minister George Mpombo has said there is need for the two countries to explore further avenues of creating and strengthening bilateral cooperation. During celebrations to mark the DRC’s 48th independence anniversary on Monday, Ambassador Wa Binana said the long period of war had left the country’s economy destructed and natural resources plundered.

He said DRC was currently in a phase of reconstruction and called for foreign investments.

“Everybody knows that the DRC is coming from a long period of war which was imposed on it by some of its neighbours,” he said. “The war led to a systematic plunder of its natural resources, the destruction of its economy and social life, and left more than four million of our people dead. Hence, the wish of the DRC is that all the countries that contributed to its democratisation come together once again for its reconstruction.”

Ambassador Wa Binana said although the DRC was celebrating 48 years of independence, its history had been marked by painful and tragic happenings.

However, ambassador Wa Binana said after the liberation, African leaders were divided and motivated by their selfishness saying that had made it difficult for the country to take off with that phase of development.

And Mpombo said the cooperation that existed between Zambia and DRC would strengthen and enable both economies remain afloat in competition with stronger economies.

Mpombo also said the government had observed with admiration the DRC government’s approaches towards the issue of securing sustainable national peace by promoting dialogue with various stakeholders which he said had yielded successful results.

Labels: AMBASSADOR, DRC, GEORGE MPOMBO, INVESTMENT, TRADE, WA BINANA

posted by MrK @ 3:25 AM