ZAMBIAN BREWERIES HOSTS JAPANESE DELEGATION AT LUSAKA SOUTH MFEZ

Zambia has a skilled workforce and an engaging government,’ – Jose Moran.

Japanese investors tour Zambian Breweries malting plant in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LS-MFEZ).

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Zambian Breweries Plc hosted the Japanese business delegation at the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LS-MFEZ). The nation’s leading brewer was among the first companies to invest in the zone, spending more than US$33 million to establish its malting plant at the LS-MFEZ. The company hosted a consortium of Japanese investors from various industries, who toured the plant in the last week of July 2018.

The 50-member Japanese delegation from 31 companies was led by Japanese Ambassador to Zambia H.E. Hidenobu Sobashima and Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of the House of Representatives, Manabu Horii. “AB InBev is the biggest brewer in the world and the reason we chose the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone is because we believe in Zambia. The LS-MFEZ is one of the most important projects that we have engaged with in supporting diversification of the economy especially through the agricultural sector,” Zambian Breweries Country Director, Jose Moran Ramirez, explained.

Zambian Breweries Country Director Jose Moran shakes hands with Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of the House of Representatives, Manabu Horii during a tour by Japanese investors of the company’s malting plant in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LS-MFEZ).

Zambia’s manpower is skilled and employees have good work ethics to enable it to compete favourably with other countries in the region, Mr Moran told the visitors. Government is friendly and open to investors, and a great example is their engaging attitude towards the preparation of the 2019 Budget involving all sectors of economy, he added. Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone Managing Director, Ms Mukela Lubasi, said the LS-MFEZ was a facility to provide partnerships and was important in the diversification of industries and the economy. “The Lusaka South MFEZ offers opportunities for partnerships and investments in areas such as infrastructure development, manufacturing amongst others,” Ms Lubasi explained.
Speaking after the tour of the malting plant, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of the House of Representatives, Manabu Horii said he was pleased to have toured the facility.

“The facility is a very good place for Japanese companies to invest for the future of Zambia,” he said. Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Hidenobu Sobashima, who also visited the malting plant , earlier in the year, was glad that the mission was informative and a success, and said it was now up to the investors to decide as to when they will come to set up their investments in the MFEZ. “This was a very important and informative opportunity for the delegation to consider in their investment decisions,” Ambassador Sobashima said.