The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has recorded export deals worth US$ 24.50 million from the just ended Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Trade Mission in Lubumbashi. Of the total export deals, US$10.82 million are confirmed orders while US$13.7 million are export leads.

Additionally, some companies are still in discussion with their potential clients on possible export deals.

The confirmed orders and leads are for the supply of day-old chicks, chicken sausages, fish, pork, maize seed, mealie meal, maize samp and beans. Others include personal protective equipment (PPEs), safety clothing and copper cables and pots.

The Agency is following up on the participating companies with trade leads to ensure that they translate into actual export transactions.

Commenting on the trade leads and deals from the DRC Trade Mission, ZDA Acting Director General Albert Halwampa said the results of the Trade Mission to DRC validates the Agency’s strategy and positioning that DRC is Zambia’s number one market for Non-Traditional Exports.

“These results are a further testimony that both large companies and SMEs can both earn foreign exchange and thereby significantly create jobs and wealth for the Zambian citizens. ZDA’s strategy going forward is to facilitate market access for as many companies as possible to export products and expand the exporter base to DRC in line with the aspirations of the New Dawn Government of increasing trade and investment for the country,” said Mr. Halwampa.

“Next year, the Agency plans to undertake at least four trade missions into DRC to explore markets in Tanganyika, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba, and the usual Haut-Katanga provinces of the DRC,” he added.

Last September, 45 export ready and exporting Zambian companies were taken to DRC by ZDA, Government of Finland through the Finnish government funded Accelerated Growth for Micro Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Zambia (AGS Zambia Programme) and ABSA Bank Zambia PLC to secure market access for their products.

The Zambian enterprises which included large companies and Small and Medium Enterprises were drawn from various sectors including agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, mining, processed foods, leather and textile.

The main objective of the trade mission which, ran from September 22nd to 24th, 2022, was to facilitate the growth of Zambia’s non-traditional exports (NTEs) and to secure market access for Zambian products.

The Agency is determined to ensure that Zambian companies penetrate, expand and consolidate the Congolese market. The trade mission was part of the implementation of the N8 +1 Export Strategy aimed at increasing NTEs in the region, particularly the low hanging fruit markets of DRC, Angola and South Africa.