At a time when the Second Republic is pursuing economic diplomacy, Zim-Lusaka seeks to improve trade between Zambia and Zimbabwe through consolidating already existing markets, introducing new export products to Zambia, and facilitating foreign direct investments to Zimbabwe. Zambia is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner in COMESA and the fourth largest trading partner in SADC. In order to enhance and increase trade between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Zim-Lusaka would focus on ;
- Promoting Zimbabwe products and services at business events
- Facilitating and assisting Zimbabwe exhibitors at trade Fairs
- Providing Zimbabwean exporters with relevant market intelligent that will ensure
they understand and access the Zambian market - Assisting Zambian buyers by linking them with Zimbabwean suppliers of goods and services and arranging meetings
Zimbabwe’s major exports to Zambia include Mineral fuels and oils, refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, electric motors & generators plastics and articles of plastics, wood and articles of wood, furniture (bedding, mattresses), unmanufactured and manufactured tobacco, cigars & cigarettes, maize/corn, gypsum, granite, natural graphite, Sulphur, bread, biscuits, malt extract, pasta and Iron and steel among others.
The products imported from Zambia include cement and cement clinker, lime, bitumen & asphalt, maize, sorghum, mineral water, beer from malt& ciders, animal feed, sugars & confectionery, dairy products, copper and articles of copper and articles of iron and Steel.
Construction of Chirundu Small Scale Traders Market
COMESA Secretariat with funding from the European Union is constructing a Small-Scale Trader’s market at the Chirundu Border Post. The total budget for the trader’s market is Euro 900 000. A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the commencement of construction works was held on 1 December 2023. The project is expected to be completed by 31 August 2024. The market which will have modern facilities is expected to accommodate over 300 SMEs including youths and women. The contractor is a Zimbabwean company namely Donax Enterprises Pvt Ltd. The construction of the Traders market will provide an appropriate workspace for traders to sell their products thereby resulting in an increase in formal small scale cross border trade flows in the COMESA region.
Zimbabwe-Zambia Agro Industrial Park
Within the framework of promoting industrialization under COMESA, Zimbabwe and Zambia signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Industrialisation and Skills Development in March 2021 through a virtual platform. The signing of the MoU provided for the establishment of the Zimbabwe – Zambia Common Agro-Industrial Park (CAIP). The overall objective of the CAIP Project is to contribute to the industrialisation strategies of the Governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, help transform the economies and transition from traditional exporters of fresh produce to industrial hubs of agricultural produce underpinned by agro-processing and value addition.
A feasibility study is expected to be done to inform the technical details of setting up the Common Agro-Industrial Park. Zimbabwe secured funding of USD3.5 million from the AfDB for the feasibility study whilst Zambia is currently mobilising resources. Zambia has identified the land for the Industrial Park.
