LOCAL organising committee chairperson for the just ended Southern Province Tourism and Investment Exposition Richard Mbewe labeled it the ‘mother of all expositions’.
“We saw how our friends organised their expositions and we picked a lot of ideas from there and from all of them, we are hosting ours,” he was quoted as saying.
We have invested half a million dollars that was the initial investment to the Zambian market,” he said.
“In Southern Province, we are looking at one where the geo-thermal project will be in Monze. We are thinking we can create a lot of activities there. We are also looking at the Royal Monze project which will put up a university and hospital,” he said.
And they were a lot.
Some exhibitors from all the 13 districts in Southern Province came to showcase what the province is endowed with.
His thought was in line with the fact that they had been to all the other expositions and seen how they were organised - from there, lessons were learnt on how to make the South exposition even better.
“We saw how our friends organised their expositions and we picked a lot of ideas from there and from all of them, we are hosting ours,” he was quoted as saying.
And rightly so, perhaps, the exposition which was held from 14 - 21 September at the Royal Livingstone Golf Club attracted over US$2 billion worth of investment pledges.
The investment pledges were in different sectors of the economy which include tourism, mining, agriculture, transport and energy among others.
This came to light during the official opening of the expo at which letters of intent were read from different investors.
The official opening and signing ceremony was graced and witnessed respectively by President Edgar Lungu.
A memorandum of understanding between Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe and Southern Province to twin the two provinces was also signed by the ministers in-charge of the two provinces.
The investment pledges signed at the event include a US$1 billion construction of shopping malls and a five star hotel, US$ 200 million construction of a hotel, golf course and convention centre by the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA), US $1 million in uranium exploration and mining, US$500, 000 in the transport industry by Benash Transport.
Benash is a South African based company with its headquarters in Johannesburg and operates in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Benash marketing director Ashton Maistry said the company which will be known as Apex Hauliers will comprise of 95 percent Zambian shareholding and is in need of local based client partners to help boost wealth creation through the transport sector.
“We have recently invested into the Zambian market and opened up a sub division for Benash transport called Apex Hauliers.
We have invested half a million dollars that was the initial investment to the Zambian market,” he said.
Others are US $30 million investment pledges by Sable Limited, US $11 million by Maamba Collieries Limited in the energy sector and K500, 000 in the manufacturing and distribution of building materials sector.
Dragon Construction Materials (DCM) on the other hand is setting up a K5 million investment company in Choma aimed at contributing to the growth of the textile industry in the region.
“For us as a company, we want to ensure that we invest in the country and our next step is to ensure that we open other offices in various parts of the country,” said DCM southern region manager Likando Mwiya.
The company which also trades as the Herocean Group with operations in Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda and Congo is a comprehensive trader and supplier of building materials and specialises in various profiles of roofing sheet products.
Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale said there was overwhelming goodwill and willingness among local and foreign investors to invest in the province as evidenced by oversubscription at the expo by over 1000 delegates.
Dr Hamukale said the provincial administration had initially targeted 1000 delegates which doubled.
"This demonstrates the eagerness by more people in sharing President Edgar Lungu's vision in accelerating development," he said.
What’s even better is that traditional leaders in the region are ready and willing to receive the investors.
Indaba Agriculture Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) executive director Chance Kabaghe said traditional leaders in Southern Province have been equipped with negotiation skills to negotiate investment deals in their chiefdoms.
"This has been a successful exposition because we have been able to attract investments of US $2billion in the energy, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, real estate and mining sectors," Mr Kabaghe said.
The other thing expected to excite the people of Southern province is Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) plans to develop a multi-facility economic zone in the region.
ZDA director general Matongo Matamwandi disclosed these plans here in an interview, citing Monze as a potential site for the construction of the economic zone.
The multi facility economic zones are a vehicle Government is utilising to drive industrialisation.
“In Southern Province, we are looking at one where the geo-thermal project will be in Monze. We are thinking we can create a lot of activities there. We are also looking at the Royal Monze project which will put up a university and hospital,” he said.
Multi-facility economic zones offer incentives and attract the needed investment opportunities aimed at facilitating national development and Southern Province is viewed as a key player in driving the country’s development agenda.
“We can utilise tourism multi-facility economic zone so that we can attract more tourism investment because the tourism sector plays a critical role in the growth of the economy,” said Mr Matamwandi.
Mr Matamwandi said the country offers attractive investment incentives for both local and foreign investors.
The expo officially opened with a call by President Edgar Lungu to actualise the investment pledges into tangible investments.
The head of State said Southern Province has massive natural resources which have remained untapped but can now attract investors through the exposition.
Mr Lungu urged the provincial administration in the region to learn from the Luapula Province administration who are actualising significant investments from the pledges during their expo.
The President said expos should not be talk shows but yield tangible results and impact positively on the economy of the country.
"I believe this expo will trigger unprecedented investments in the province and the country at large.
The time is now for you to make that business decision to invest in Southern Province and Zambia at large," President Lungu said.
The expo which attracted over 2000 delegates was being held under The theme: "Accelerating development through value addition and diversification".
President Lungu said the theme resonates with Government's development plans and that it is his administration's desire to open and develop all the ten provinces in the country.
He said Government has put in place measures to create value addition to grow the economy.
President Lungu said Government will continue to provide a favourable and conducive environment for all businesses to thrive.
"It is time to work together because we are One Zambia One Nation. I am delighted that Southern Province home of the mighty Victoria Falls has put up this event after other expos.
The expo is timely because it is an opportunity to market the province as a tourism destination, mining and agriculture and other sectors," President Lungu said.
Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry Christopher Yaluma said Government will ensure that all small and medium enterprises present at the expo are supported to grow their businesses.
And they were a lot.
Some exhibitors from all the 13 districts in Southern Province came to showcase what the province is endowed with.
“Southern Province has a lot of these Tamarind trees which we can make jam and drinks from. You can also make juice from the famous baobab fruits that are dotted everywhere in the province,” said an elderly woman exhibitor from Zimba.
Kalomo Town Council public relations officer Charity Chaiwila also called on investors to consider investing in the district in areas of tourism and also agriculture.
“Remember, we were the largest producers of maize in Zambia but because of the poor rains, we did not not do well. But we have plenty of agricultural opportunities in Kalomo,” she said.
Did you know that Buya Bamba potatoes are grown and packaged in Kalomo?
“This is what we are most proud of as Kalomo. Not many people know this but Buya Bamba which is found literally everywhere comes from Kalomo. That should give you an idea of how fertile the soil is,” she said.
Ms. Chaiwila said the Bbilili hot springs is also another area that could be exploited.
Mr Yaluma said the expo presents opportunities to create linkages between small and bigger enterprises to foster economic growth.
Nonetheless, as Dr Hamukale clearly noted, the exposition marked a new era for the transformation of lives in Southern province.
“We hope through the expo that the province will improve and increase its gross domestic product,” he said.
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