Industry Department
Development, promotion, monitoring and evaluation of industrial programmes in order to increase the industrial sectors contribution to the country’s socio-economic development.
The Department has the two Units, namely:
- Industrial Development Programmes Unit; and
- Industrial Monitoring and Evaluation Unit.
The Industrial Development Programmes Unit is responsible for formulating and implementing industrial Policies and programmes in order to stimulate sustainable growth and development of the industrial sector.
The Industrial Monitoring and Evaluation Unit is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the performance of the industrial sector in order to assess the impact of industrial policies and programmes on industry.
The National Industrial Policy (NIP), among other national Policies, guides the Department’s activities towards attaining the aspirations it intends to achieve. The National Industrial Policy serves as an anchor document for the industrialisation agenda. The Policy is expected to stimulate and encourage value addition activities on primary commodities as a means of increasing national export earnings, creating employment opportunities and ultimately transforming Zambia into a diversified and competitive industrialised economy. The NIP has prioritised eight (8) Manufacturing sub-sectors as drivers of Industrialisation, as follows:
- Processed Foods;
- Textiles and Garments;
- Engineering Products;
- Wood and Wood products;
- Leather and Leather Products;
- Mineral (metallic and non-metallic) processing and products (beneficiation);
- Pharmaceuticals; and
- Blue Economy
In addition to the eight priority sub-sectors, Construction, Agriculture, Tourism, Education, Energy, ICT and Health, were identified as key supportive sectors in the Industrialisation process due to their potential to facilitate growth and strong linkages to the manufacturing sector.
The Department focuses on three main activities; these are:
- Industrial Development;
- Investment Promotion; and
- Standards and Quality Assurance.
a) Industrial Development
Development of Multi-Facility Economic Zones
The Ministry is pursuing the Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) programme as a vehicle to stimulate and accelerate industrial and economic development through increased activity in the manufacturing sector where value addition to the numerous natural and agricultural raw materials previously exported in raw form will be processed for purposes of enhancing both domestic and export oriented business.
Government has since 2007, has declared the following locations for MFEZ development namely:
- Chambishi MFEZ;
- Lusaka East MFEZ;
- Lusaka South MFEZ;
- Lumwana MFEZ;
- Jiangxi MFEZ;
- Kalumbila MFEZ;
- Sub-Sahara Gemstone Exchange Industrial Park; and
- Roma Industrial Park.
b) Investment Promotion
Bilateral Investment Treaties/Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements
The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, through the Department of Industry, leads Zambia’s negotiations of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs)/Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) with several countries.
Since gaining independence in 1964, the Republic of Zambia has negotiated and entered into BITs/IPPAs with 16 partner countries, the first of which was signed in 1966 with Germany and the latest in 2020 with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Investment Promotion Missions
The Department facilitates and undertakes programmes to promote both local and foreign direct investments, including cross border investments and harnessing diaspora resources to enhance investment in the industrial sector or related supporting services.
Business Fora
The Department facilitates and promotes Business Fora, which are aimed at attracting investment and re-investment in Zambia across all sectors from both local and foreign investors. The Fora also aim to create and foster partnerships between the private sector.
c)Standards and Quality Assuarance
The Department of Industry is charged with responsibility to provide direction on the standards to be developed and implemented to support industrial growth and implementation of government policies, strategies and programmes.
To this end, the Ministry, working through the Zambia Bureau of Standards developed the National Standards Strategy aimed at realizing the above mandate.
To administer, maintain and ensure compliance with standards for the purpose of public safety and health, consumer protection and environmental protection, the Ministry established the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency as a principal Agency to oversee this mandate. Further, in order to oversee the service provision of Scientific, Industrial and Legal Metrology in Zambia, the Ministry established the Zambia Metrology Agency.
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