Maravi

Zambia hasn't been properly marketed, says Sichinga

COMMENT - Uncle Bob still has to apologize for his 180 degree u-turn on the Windfall Tax. You can't pull a stunt like that and hope people still believe in your credibility.

Zambia hasn't been properly marketed, says Sichinga
By Gift Chanda
Thu 12 Jan. 2012, 13:57 CAT

COMMERCE minister Robert Sichinga says there is need to properly profile Zambia in order to attract more foreign investment inflows.

Speaking on Tuesday when he met top officials from the Zambia Institute of Marketing, Sichinga said past regimes had failed to properly market Zambia to the international community. He said this has had an impact on the amount of foreign direct inflows into the country.

"We have never sold Zambia; we have never packaged it despite all the good things going for us at the moment," Sichinga said.

"I can tell you that no country in Africa has had five transitions of governments without violence. One that comes near to us is Tanzania, but very few people know Zambia because we have not sold it out there."

He said the peace and stability in the country were accolades that could be used to market the country.

"Zambia is seen as a beacon of peace, why can't we use that to attract revenue?" Sichinga wondered.

"We have Dr Kenneth Kaunda, let us use him while he is still with us."

And Sichinga observed that even the country's natural resources had not been fully exploited.

He said the country was endowed with mineral resources such as cobalt and emeralds which had not been fully exploited.

Sichinga further observed that past regimes had failed to sell the fact that Zambia was endowed with plenty of water which could be used for generation of clean energy.

He said the region was experiencing a power deficit which Zambia could take advantage of and supply power.

Sichinga said even the country's tourism had not been properly sold.

"We haven't sold the attractions of the country, the tourism, the warmth of the people, the investment sectors, the peace and stability," Sichinga said.

"Zambia has so much untold to the outside world which could bring more revenue."

He challenged ZIM to assist the government raise Zambia's investment and improve the tourism sector in a bid to attract foreign direct inflows.

Sichinga said the PF government hoped to breathe fresh air into the country's tourism sector.

ZIM president David Kombe pledged the institute's support towards raising the country's profile internationally.

He agreed with Sichinga that the country had not been properly marketed to the outsiders.

Kombe said ZIM would soon make proposals to the government on raising the country's profile.

Labels: DAVID KOMBE, FDI, PF, ROBERT SICHINGA, TOURISM, WINDFALL TAX

posted by MrK @ 6:55 PM