By Scoop Reporter
THE Partnership for Investment and Growth in Africa (PIGA) has handed over five laptops and 15 internet gadgets to the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to enhance the capacity to deliver its services remotely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
PIGA is a flagship project of the Department for International Development (DFID) implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
PIGA national project coordinator Shupi Mweene says the project has also supplemented the Agency with electricity units and fuel for the generator to enable smooth running of the Agency during these difficult times.
Ms. Mweene says the electricity units and fuel are meant to cushion the Agency’s expenditure and ensure undisrupted operations at the Agency.
Meanwhile, ZDA acting director general Cosam Ngoma expressed gratitude to the ITC and DFID for being all-weather friendly partners to the Agency pre and during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Mr. Ngoma has commended PIGA and its partners for the five laptops, the internet gadgets, electricity units, fuel and the face masks which they contributed to the Agency.
“PIGA is indeed an all-weather partner as has been exhibited before and during this period of COVID-19 and we hope to continue with the partnership.
“Further, PIGA has gone ahead to help the Agency profile four sectors to enhance investment and trade promotion strategies. This is testament of PIGA’s deliberate focus to help Zambia attract quality and credible investments that will help the country create jobs, technology transfer, innovation, skills, value addition and export,” Mr. Ngoma said.
He says with the capacity building that the Agency had earned from the PIGA, the Agency is now working on profiling more sectors, subsectors and product profiles which will enable the Agency be more effective in promoting accelerated local involvement across various value chains with the view to enhancing competitiveness of Zambian products.
PIGA is a partnership of the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s DFID, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the China Africa Development Fund (CAD Fund) and ITC.
