By-The Emerson Mnangagwa administration is now focusing on Zambia for assistance to resurrect the suffocating economy.

The state media reports that Mnangagwa’s envoy to Zambia, Charity Charamba, is in diplomatic talks with Lusaka for business collaborations.

Harare wants local firms, including small to medium enterprises (SMEs), to trade, with Zambia.

Speaking in an interview after more than 30 Zimbabwean firms took part at the 94th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show (ZACS), which ended on Monday, Ambassador Charamba said local firms must take advantage of the proximity between the two countries as well as the fact that both countries are members of SADC and COMESA.
Trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, facilitated the participation of the local firms and because of the high level of organisation and the quality of products on display, the Zimbabwe Pavillion was awarded the Best Recognition to International Exhibit.
Winning the award, according to Ambassador Charamba, was “a thumbs up for Zimtrade and the country at large”.

“We are excited but at the same time, it actually underscores that our products are highly competitive,” said Ambassador Charamba.
Some of the local products on display included those from large firms such as Dairibord, Tanganda, Cairns, Zimplow, Agricura, Windmill, AE Electricals, and Turnall as well as those from small to medium enterprises such as Good Hope Leather Products, Das Foods, Millenium Footwear, Bernard Remegious, and Triple Tee Footwear.
Ambassador Charamba said the participation of local firms shows that as a country “we have identified markets here.”
She said some of the visitors and buyers that came to the Zimbabwe Pavilion “had actually indicated that they want our companies to set up base in Zambia”.