Trade Promotion

Trade Promotion Activities
In its trade promotion activities, ZITIC aims to enhance the international growth of Zambian-based enterprises through various international trade promotion activities, hence contributing to Zambia’s foreign earnings and economic growth, leading to the general improvement in the socio-economic wellbeing and lifestyles of the Zambian people.ZITIC offers services to help Zambian companies export their products and services, develop business capabilities, find external partners and enter new markets. At the same time, ZITIC strives to position Zambia as the ideal base for foreign businesses to expand into the African market, particularly the COMESA/SADC region, in partnership with Zambian-owned and Zambian-based companies. The vision of ZITIC is for Zambia to become the thriving African business hub with globally competitive enterprises and leading international trading corporations, taking full advantage of the country’s strategic geo-political location and the favorable socio-political environment.Pursuant to this objective, ZITIC undertakes the following activities:
  1. Promotion of export of Zambian products and services to foreign countries;
  2. Establishment of a database on various Zambian exporters of different goods and services;
  3. Assisting Zambian-based companies in sourcing trade finance from both local and international markets;
  4. Promotion of internationalization of Zambian companies;
  5. Ensuring the increase in the number of Zambian exporting Companies and widening the number of Zambian products entering export markets;
  6. Consolidating Zambia’s presence in existing export markets and increasing product offerings in those markets while opening new markets for Zambian products;
  7. Working in close collaboration with all Embassies, High Commissions and Honorary Consulates accredited to Zambia for the purpose of identifying trade opportunities with their home countries;
  8. Working with the COMESA and SADC Secretariats to enhance intra-regional trade;
  9. Establishing linkages with foreign trade promotion agencies to identify trade opportunities and organize joint missions/events for trade promotion.
Trade Facilitation Services

To facilitate international trade, ZITIC offers the following services:

  1. Organize trade missions of foreign buyers/importers to Zambia;
  2. Organize visits of foreign opinion makers and journalists specialized in different industrial sectors and services;
  3. Organize Zambian companies’ participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions;
  4. Promote the “Buy Zambian” campaign within the country;
  5. Introducing foreign buyers to appropriate Zambian suppliers of various goods and services and arranging business meetings for visiting foreign buyers;
  6. Training and advise on export marketing, export procedures and INCOTERMS;
  7. Company diagnostics and assessments on export readiness;
  8. Training in product quality and packaging standards to meet export market requirements;
  9. Assistance with travel and lodging arrangements;
  10. Advise on preferential trade agreements such as COMESA, SADC, EPPAS, AGOA, FOCAC and other bilateral and multilateral trade agreements where Zambia has an advantage.
  11. Issue of regular publications and holding of seminars on world trade regimes and regional market conditions;
Future Plans

In order to provide wider and efficient trade facilitation services, ZITIC plans to work on the following initiatives in the near future:

  1. Establishment of a wide web-based purchase enquiry network to receive business enquiries from prospective importers of Zambian products and services, including creative products such as art and music;
  2. Establishment of a Teleconference Centre where foreign buyers can hold online business meetings with domestic companies at a pre-arranged time to improve communication efficiency and circumvent situations of force-majore;
  3. Establishment of a Trade Information Library providing a wide range of resources on each country such as business directories, tariff schedules, trade preferences, trade barriers, periodicals, etc. with computer access to enable users to quickly find the information they require.
  4. Establishment of a web-based Zambian exporters’ directory;
  5. Providing training to Zambian companies in e-commerce;
Trade and Project Finance Services

Low interest, flexible trade and project finance is a limiting factor common to most businesses in Zambia, limiting growth and diversification and in numerous cases has led to business stagnation, closures and ultimate low economic activity at national level. Unable to access appropriate financial services, suitable for the entrepreneur’s special business needs, most Zambian-owned businesses have remained micro or small scale enterprises involved in rudimentary, low productivity ventures. The large scale business sector has been left a preserve of “foreign investors” who are able to raise finance from their home countries. 

ZITIC has taken an innovative step in the development of our local entrepreneurship by introducing the much needed service of trade and project finance. Working with our international Partners, we enable you to access low cost capital for your business growth, allowing you to fully explore your entrepreneurial capability. ZITIC will assist you in the preparation of your bankable business proposals that qualify for financing at competitive interest rates.