By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
ZAMBIA starred at this year’s  Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) by scooping the  second best foreign trade award at the event in the international category.
The country scooped the award at the ZITF which was held in Bulawayo while South Africa scooped the first award with Mozambique taking the third slot. 19 countries took part in the trade fair with over 390 local and foreign exhibitors.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, N’gona Chibesakunda  said the award was a testimony of  great efforts that Zambian companies were making in producing goods of the highest quality that were competitive in the region.
This is contained in a statement issued by Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) communications and public relations manager, Margaret Chimanse and made available to the Times in Lusaka.
The show whose theme was, “Innovate Integrate Industrialise” was officially opened by Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe who said industrialisation can create employment opportunities.
President Gnassingbe said this year’s theme highlighted the action that must be taken for Africa to industrialise and make the continent achieve inter-Africa trade.
He encouraged Africa to speed up integration by putting up complementary projects.
“Integration is a dream that Africa has dreamt of since the beginning of independence on  the African continent. We inherited Africa with artificial boundaries which hindered integration,”  he said.