The Hindu Business Line : Zambia consular offices in 3 metros

Kolkata March 30 In a bid to improve trade and investment relations with India, Zambia has planned to establish three consular offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, said Mr Keli Walubita, Zambian High Commissioner to India.

Addressing newspersons here on Thursday at an interactive session organised by the Merchant Chamber of Commerce, he said after the establishment of the Zambia Development Agency, a one-stop trade and investment promotional body last year at home, and direct business links with other nations through every possible channel were being encouraged. He proposed a collaborative information exchange programme between chambers of commerce of the two countries.

Air links

The High Commissioner also said that a direct air link between Mumbai and the Zambian capital of Lusaka would begin by the fourth week of April. A private airline — Zambia Skyways — is poised to run once-a-week direct flight. Recently, aviation authorities of both the countries had given green signal to reintroduction of the direct flight.

Indian investment

Mr Walubita said that Zambia has attracted Indian investment worth a billion US dollars. Notable Indian investments in Zambia are in mining (Sterlite Industries) and banking (Indo-Zambian Bank, a joint venture between the Zambian Government and Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and Central Bank of India). There has also been some Indian investments in tourism and auto components in Zambia.

The mineral-rich African nation is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Organisation (COMESA) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Currently, South Africa is Zambia's biggest trading partner followed by the UK.

The balance of trade between the two countries now favours India. In 2005-06, India's exports to Zambia were worth around $67 million, while the imports from Zambia, mainly minerals, stood at $41 million.

He said that his High Commission currently processes visa applications on fast track — in just a couple of hours.

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