Zambia is seeking to attract Brazilian investment in agriculture, manufacturing and clean energy following high-level bilateral discussions with the Government of Tocantins State in Brazil.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Lieutenant General Sitali Dennis Alibuzwi (Retired), led the diplomatic delegation in Palmas, where he presented the Grow Zambia Agenda and called on Brazilian businesses to explore investment opportunities in the country.
Ambassador Alibuzwi highlighted Zambia’s commercial farm blocks, Multi-Facility Economic Zones and manufacturing sector, noting that the country is Africa’s largest fertiliser producer. He also pointed to opportunities in critical minerals for electric vehicle battery production, as well as solar, hydro and biomass energy.
He says Zambia offers investors legal protection against expropriation, the ability to repatriate profits and zero-rated import duties on capital machinery. He also described Zambia as a gateway to more than 600 million consumers across 29 SADC and COMESA member states.
Tocantins Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, Frederico Sodré dos Santos, has expressed interest in working with Zambia in livestock production, animal disease control, bioenergy, science and technology, infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships.
Mr Sodré dos Santos also highlighted Tocantins’ experience in using technology to double beef production, expressing the state’s willingness to support Zambia’s ambition of becoming a continental food basket.
The two sides have proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a framework for cooperation in agricultural research, trade facilitation and technical exchange.
By Mike Mwendachabe
