By MILDRED KATONGO –
ITALY has pledged to deepen bilateral ties with Zambia for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Newly appointed Italian Ambassador to Zambia Filippo Scammacca del Murgo said this when he paid a courtesy call on Information and Broadcasting Services Minister and Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili at his office in Lusaka yesterday.
He said Zambia remained one of Italy’s prime investment destinations with several companies and investors from that country keen to invest in agriculture, energy and other sectors of the Zambian economy.
“Italy is optimistic about Zambia’s economic outlook as the current challenges of power deficit and the exchange rate of the Kwacha are temporal setbacks in the economy. Zambia doesn’t fix the price of copper on the international market, so there is very little one can do when prices are low,” he said.
He said Italy was also keen to broaden cooperation with Zambia in the media sector and that,  he had so far held fruitful discussions with ZNBC director general Richard Mwanza.
This was with a view to opening up avenues of cooperation between the national broadcaster and sister institutions in Italy.
Mr Kambwili, who was flanked by Director, Press and Media Development, Isaac Chipampe and Director, Planning and Information, Beaton Kaluba, said Government valued the long-standing relations with Italy and looked forward to increased investments from that country.
He said it would be good to see Italian companies such as Fiat which once operated a motor assembly plant in Livingstone, return to the country and help contribute to Zambia’s economic development.
Mr Kambwili said Government was impressed with Italian investors who wanted to invest in Zambia’s agriculture sector as this was in line with Government’s efforts to diversify the economy.