ZAMBIANS IN NORTHERN IRELAND URGED TO INVEST HOME

London - Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Professor Royson Mukwena has urged the Zambian community in Northern Ireland to investing back home.

Prof. Mukwena said there were huge trade and investment opportunities in the energy, health, tourism, mining and agricultural sectors which Zambians living abroad may which to invest in.

“You may wish to consider investing in solar energy, for example in the local manufacture of solar energy components. There are also opportunities in the agriculture and agro processing sector. There are opportunities in cassava processing into products such as sweeteners, glue, starch, plywood, animal feeds, Alcohol etc,” he said.

He said this at the weekend in Belfast where he met Zambians living in Northern Ireland.  

This is contained in a statement to ZANIS, today, from the Zambian High Commission in the United Kingdom signed by the Assistant Secretary for Press Rejoice Likumba.

He said many opportunities also exist in fish farming and livestock, such as the processing of hides, skins, leather and leather processing. Opportunities exist in the development of computer software and assembly such as manufacturing of ICT equipment.

In the tourism sector, huge investment opportunities exist in Livingstone and the Northern Circuit. He informed the gathering that the Government had demarcated Tourism Development Zones in Livingstone and Northern and Luapula Provinces.

He reiterated that the Mission and Zambian Government considered Zambians in Northern Ireland and the entire Zambian Diaspora as key players in the economic development of the country. In particular, he said the Diaspora were important partners in the marketing of Zambia as a destination for good profitable business and tourism.

“My appeal to you all is to remain patriotic and refrain from conduct that may tarnish the image of our country and be detrimental to its development. Your conduct here and what you convey or publish whether on the internet or in print media can either encourage or discourage the flow of trade, investments and tourists to Zambia,” he said.

He commended Zambians in Northern Ireland for having been good ambassadors and conducting themselves in a manner portraying the correct image of Zambia, saying that exemplary conduct by Zambians abroad was critical to marketing Zambian tourism.  Prof. Mukwena noted that the impression tourists form of Zambians during their interactions with Zambians in the Diaspora was critical to the tourist’s decision to visit the country. 

“If you behave in a manner deemed unfriendly and unacceptable it will be unlikely that those potential tourists will decide to visit Zambia. Your message to those who wish to visit our country is that Zambia remains peaceful and all Zambians continue to exercise their democratic rights,” he said. 

Prof. Mukwena said in order to ensure that the exemplary conduct and good efforts of the Zambian Diaspora in the UK were not in vain, the Mission will continue to play an efficient and effective role in marketing Zambian tourism and facilitating the flow of tourists into the country.  

On foreign remittances, Prof. Mukwena told his audience that money sent back home by the Zambian Diaspora had slightly risen to K73.8 billion in the first quarter of this year (2010) from K71.5 billion during the same period last year (2009). 

In the first quarter of 2010, there were a total of 56,335 transactions recorded compared with 51,043 recorded during the same period last year (2009).  Last year (2009) K298 billion was sent back to Zambia with a total of 216,700 transactions recorded.

On Consular services, Prof. Mukwena said the Mission would always provide consular services to Zambians that may find themselves in trouble with the law of the host country.

With regards to payment of visa and passport fees using debit cards, the High Commissioner informed the gathering that the Mission will soon introduce the system of payments by debit cards to be in line with modern trends.

On HIV/AIDS, Prof. Mukwena said the Mission regarded the issue as a serious one that cannot be ignored, and in view of that, a mission liaison officer had been appointed to be working closely with organisations and individuals in the Zambian communities that are involved in the fight against HIV and Aids.

The meeting in Belfast was the last of the series the High Commissioner has had with Zambian communities in the UK following his presentation of credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 11th February 2010 at Buckingham Palace.

 The meetings were for purposes of introducing himself and exchanging views on various issues of interest to Zambians and in particular issues that affect them in the UK. He also used the opportunity to share information on political and economic developments in Zambia.

 The High Commissioner has had meetings in London, Manchester, Coventry, Sheffield, Cardiff-Wales, Edinburgh- Scotland and Belfast- Northern Ireland. He also met Zambians in Dublin, Ireland.