By Gilbert Sikanyika
Zambia is a land of opportunities mainly because of its serene and peaceful environment. Peace has been the trade mark of our country since independence in 1964.
Peace has made Zambia an attractive investment destination to foreign investors. Naturally, business flourishes in a peaceful environment, where there are no political or social upheavals. By the grace of God, Zambia has never experienced war since independence and that makes it a unique and safe haven for business. Anyone who is serious and really wants to succeed can succeed. There is nothing to stop anyone from doing what he or she wants to do as long as one does the right thing and follows the law. If one intends to do business within the confines of the law, then Zambia is the right place to come to.
Any business which is done legally is likely to succeed without any interference from the government or the local authorities. Generally, Zambia doesn’t have restrictive investment and business policies. Most of the investment and business policies are user friendly so to speak.
As a matter of fact, the government encourages both local and foreign investment as it enhances the economic growth of the country. Foreign investors have been getting attractive incentives so far…
Investors intending to invest in Zambia can do a thorough research in their field of expertise to ascertain specific conditions pertaining to the business they would like to invest in. But a stable political landscape is a safe haven for investing in and Zambia has a long history of political stability. Zambia is known and renown throughout the world as a safe investment destination. People from all over the world have safely invested in, and made Zambia their second home.
Zambia has a liberal or free market economy, therefore the government does not interfere in the running of private businesses as long as they are tax compliant.
Anyone from anywhere can invest and do business in Zambia as long as he or she meets government requirements for investment. Business men and women from commonwealth countries could have an upper hand since Zambia is a member of the commonwealth.
There are lucrative business opportunities in the mining, agriculture, tourism, and hospitality industries, to name but just a few.
Zambia is the headquarters of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). COMESA is a regional block which harnesses trade and investment among it’s member states in Africa.
It is important to note that English is the official lingua franca and the (Zambian) Kwacha is the official currency.
Zambia is a great African investment hub.
Those intending to get detailed information about the conditions of investing in Zambia can easily get in touch with the ministry of commerce and industry or the Investment Center.
(Gilbert Sikanyika is a Freelance Journalist).