Workshop report on stakeholder meeting in solwezi

1. ZAMBIA – FINLAND TRADE AND BUSINESS FORUM DRAFT
REPORT
01th
June, 2015 AT KANSANSHI HOTEL, SOLWEZI, ZAMBIA
Table of Contents
1.0 Objective of the workshop 2
2.0 Plenary presentations by Work Stations
3.1 Group 1 Mining
3.2 Group 2 Private Sector Development
3.3 Group 3 Infrastructure: Construction and Water

2. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Team Finland hosted the Zambia-Finland Business Partnership week on June 1 under
the theme” Partnership for Green Growth. The Joint Finnish–Zambia effort was aimed
at responding to Zambia’s need for sustainable solutions in Energy, Water,
construction and mining Sector development. Team Finland network promotes
Finland and boosts Finnish enterprises abroad. The network brings together all
services offered by state-funded actors which work for the internationalization of
Finnish enterprises, advance investment in Finland and promote Finland’s country
brand
2.0 Objective of the workshop
The workshop’s main objectives were as follows:-
1. Identification of existing initiatives for business linkages within the local environment;
2. Potential for deepening Finnish business engagement with Zambia companies
3. Creation of a suitable platform for information exchange and business opportunity
identification and knowledge sharing. A platform where all leading businesses in the
local environment can offer local small and medium enterprises short and long term
business opportunities.
4. Strengthening partnership between Finnish and Zambian companies
3. Work Stations
The focus for the work stations was to further engage local SMEs with Finnish companies
and further discuss possibilities for joint ventures. The three work stations namely 1) Mining
2) Private Sector Development and 3) Infrastructure, construction and Water were tasked
to identify:
A) The problems/Challenges of SMEs
B) Opportunities available to engage in business
C) The kind of business partners needed
D) Way forward and next steps
Group 1: Mining Sector
The group agreed on the need for a common platform for information sharing as
well as enhanced collaboration among the mining companies
No. STAKEHOLDER ISSUE/CHALLENGE SOLUTION
1 SMEs  Lack Technical expertise  To undergo training and
capacity building

3.  Favoritism, lack of transparency in
communicating tenders and
fragmentation of SMEs in the local
areas
 creation of a databases of
registered SMEs
 weak business management
capacity,
 capacity building initiatives to
be enhanced
 SMEs to be clustered according
to type of business
 Access to finance is a challenge  Financial institutions to be
flexible and innovative in credit
provision
 Mines tendering procedures and
communication limits access to few
individuals
 Lack of transparency in the
procurement process
 Mines to provide list of goods
and services for SME
participation through a
common platform for
transparency purposes
 This information could then be
channeled to SME clusters for
enhanced capacity to deliver
Mine employees should not have
interest in the contracts of
2 Opportunities  Lack of information on New
equipment and machinery
 Lack of information on New
technology
 New innovations
 Research and Development
 Education Exchange between
companies
3 Business
partnership
 Lack of clear structured partnership  Long term partnership
 Mutual trust between
companies
 Cost Competitiveness to favor
both sides
Next steps and way
forward
.Local SMEs to take advantage of Government policies
.Local SMEs to have well and strong structured Business plans
.Local SMEs to position themselves and be proactive
.Wider network between Zambia and Finnish companies to be created
Group 2: Private Sector Development

4. They considered levels of awareness and compliance of the services they provide and further
helping companies to be competitive in order to create wealth.
No. STAKEHOLDER ISSUE/CHALLENGE
1 Private Sectors  Unclear criteria/lack of information from lending institution
 SMES perceived high risk to invest
 Untitled land by SMES
 Poor credit culture
 Access to foreign partnership
 High costs of doing business(company registration and high taxes)
 No platform to access information(public policies, incentives and
sector plans)
2. Private Sector
opportunities 1.Supply to ATS
-Foodstuffs
-Mineral water
2.Joint venture partnership
-Understand SME profile (product and Service)
-company registration compliance
- Develop Structured business plans
-Identify right partners
-Setup “new” Company with partner /franchise
-Prepare strategic plans
Group 3: Infrastructure, Construction and Water
They considered the possibilities of joint ventures in the above sectors
No. STAKEHOLDER NEEDS
1 INFRASTRUTURE  Agriculture-Agro processing
 Manufacturing- Establishment of factories
 Housing- Construction of both Commercial and Residential using
appropriate technology. Additionally road infrastructure

5.  Energy-
 Exports
 Finance
 Training

2. Opportunities -GRZ
-MINING
-PRIVATE SECTORS
3.KINDS OF BUSINESS
PARTNERS
-JOINT VENTURE
- Construction and manufacturing)
(Willing partners and local contractors)
-Solar power plant
(Kenneth Jonson)
-Construction partner
(Juha Soilu)