During the official opening of the workshop, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Keith Mukata, who was the guest of honour, said that the COMESA region depends on well-equipped and empowered young people who are able to build vibrant private sector businesses based on entrepreneurial culture and principles.
“They say that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, and so if we as government don’t empower these youths with the relevant skills and business environment that is conducive for their success in business, then we are just killing the future of the nation,” Mukata said.
“As a youth myself, I will be your ambassador to make sure that government provides the necessary environment for you to do business on a leveled playing field.”
He added that government will push for further reduction of lending rates by the banks and urged the SMEs to promptly pay back the loans given by the banks.
He urged the participants to take the training seriously so as to contribute to the growth of the Zambian economy.
Speaking at the same function, COMESA Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya, said that he is happy to be the patron of the SME Toolkit as he has seen how it has helped so many small-scale businessmen and women in country.
Mr Ngwenya said that the SMEs account for a large portion of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
He, however, challenged the banks in the country to provide incentives that will enable the SMEs to grow into multi-national companies.
“I am now addressing the banking sector in Zambia: you seem to have concentrated on the big companies forgetting that the SMEs are also eager to grow into big companies like ZAMBEEF,” Ngwenya said.
“Make borrowing for the serious upcoming businessmen and women like these easier so that they also enjoy the benefits as the big companies.”
ZANACO PLC Director of Retail Business Mr Arjan Poels said that his company intends to widen its customer base for the SMEs across the nation to enable most of the small scale businessmen and women access the funds.
He said that ZANACO has enjoyed its partnership with the COMESA SME Toolkit and has been conducting training countrywide during the months of July to November 2011 with over 2,000 SMEs.
The American Embassy representative, Mr Phil Nervig said that his government is happy to be on board to support initiatives that help eliminate poverty in the nation.
“Our interest is in the business plan competition. The American Chamber of Commerce will help in mentoring the winner for a period of one year, and get them one-year membership to the American Chamber of Commerce,” Nervig said.
The purpose of the training was to stress the importance of banking as a financial management tool beyond lending or borrowing money by and from the bank.
Alongside the training, the COMESA SME Toolkit also held the Annual Global Entrepreneurship Week with the following activities:
- Speed networking sessions,
- A special women-in-business day on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 at the American Centre; and
- A business plan competition for young entrepreneurs of 15 – 35 years; and students. This was held from the 14 – 19 November 2011.
This year’s event was under the theme: “Unleashing ideas with the aim of promoting the culture of entrepreneurship.”
As a result of the programme, a third year University of Zambia student Julia Gondwe, represented the Zambian Student Entrepreneurs in New York at the 2011 Global Students Entrepreneurs Awards held between 17 - 19 November 2011.
http://www.comesa.int
The students name is JULILA GONDWE Not Julia. Please correct that. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteComesa is To accelerate economic growth and development partners to accelerate the free flow of goods, persons and services, the establishment and the right to live, services and free movement of capital, to strengthen coordination and regulation of economic and trade relations between the partners, to promote.
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