ZAMBIA has switched on a new gear in its global trade journey after officially joining the ATA Carnet Convention, a system set to make cross-border business smoother, faster and cheaper.
This move ushers Zambia into an elite network of nations using the ATA Carnet, a global customs document often dubbed the ‘passport for goods.’
The historic milestone was sealed yesterday when Zambia’s ambassador to Belgium, H.E Mary Chirwa deposited the instrument of accession at the World Customs Organisation (WCO) headquarters in Brussels.
According to a statement by First Press Secretary at the Embassy of Zambia in Brussels, Belgium, Aswell Mwalimu, with this tool, Zambian entrepreneurs, exhibitors and manufacturers can now send professional equipment, samples and products abroad for trade fairs and events without paying customs duties or taxes.
Mwalimu said Zambia has gained fast-lane access to world markets.
Witnessing the handover were WCO Secretary General Ian Sanders, and senior officials Michelle Millan and Gael Grooby, who commended Zambia for its commitment to modernising trade systems and boosting regional competitiveness.
This achievement, realised under President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration, underscores government’s push to transform Zambia into a regional trade powerhouse through efficiency, technology and global partnerships.
“This achievement is more than a technical milestone. It’s a powerful statement that Zambia is ready to compete and collaborate on the global stage,” sais Mwalimu.
He added that development will not only simplify exports but also project Zambia’s growing confidence in the international trade arena.
Also present at the ceremony were First Secretary (Trade and Investment) Melissa Summerton Sylla and other diplomats from the Zambian Mission in Brussels.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba November 9, 2025
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THE Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has clamped down on Coco Manufacturing Foods, arresting the company’s manager, Tang Xiao Pin, for refusing to halt operations after being ordered to stop production.
Acting on a tip-off, ZEMA enforcement officers found the factory still running at full capacity despite a previous shutdown notice issued for operating without the necessary environmental clearance under the Environmental Management Act of 2011.
Upon inspection, officers impounded a large consignment of products, among them include thousands of cases of soft drinks, bottled water, juice and biscuits produced after the ban was imposed.
The agency also seized four production lines and sealed off the plant.
According to ZEMA corporate affairs manager Ruth Kamwi, the company had earlier been fined K100,000 for operating without a decision letter and another K80,000 for continuing without a license, bringing the total penalty to K180,000.
“Coco Foods ignored every directive given to them. This arrest is meant to remind other firms that ZEMA regulations must be respected,” Kamwi said.
“The agency will not hesitate to take firm measures against institutions that endanger public safety and the environment through unlawful operations.”
ZEMA has since sealed off the factory and taken control of the seized products, while investigations continue to determine the full extent of the violations.
By Sharon Zulu
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MINISTER of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha has expressed disappointment at Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) officers who reported late for work following his impromptu visit.
Yesterday morning, Mposha stormed the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) headquarters in Lusaka without warning and what he found left him fuming.
He found only a handful of officers at their desks long after 08:00 hours, the normal reporting time.
Mposha said it was shameful that while President Hakainde Hichilema works up to zero hour, even on weekends, some civil servants still treat government jobs like a weekend retreat.
“If your President is working at midnight, who are you to be reporting for work after 08:00 hours?” he thundered.
“We don’t know 17 hours in this government, we work until the job is done.”
The Minister warned that showing up after 08:20 was not just indiscipline, but theft.
“If you can’t report on time, you are stealing. You are stealing our time and the people’s trust,” he charged.
He said ZEMA’s poor work culture was partly to blame for the delays investors face when seeking environmental approvals, calling for a complete change of attitude.
Furthermore, Mposha was also disappointed by reports that some ZEMA officers were extorting money from clients in exchange for faster approvals.
“I am giving you a friendly warning,” he said sternly.
“Desist from these practices where you want to extort money from clients. I’m watching”
The Minister said he had received alarming information about ZEMA officers who deliberately delay decisions to pressure clients into offering bribes.
He further cautioned that any officer found guilty of extortion would be arrested, not transferred.
Story and Pictures by George Musonda
Kalemba October 14, 2025
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