STORY: China's support for Africa's industrialization to help revolutionize economies
DATELINE: Sept 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:06
LOCATION: Lusaka
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the KGL project in Zambia
2. various of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
4. various of African agriculture
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
6. various of the KGL project in Zambia
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia

STORYLINE:

China's plans to help Africa's industrialization is a welcome move as it will help revolutionize the continent's economies, said Sydney Mwamba, the executive director of a Zambian think tank.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
"This is a welcome move, particularly that in the case because we are not mainly looking at Zambia but Africa as a whole.
An industrialized African continent will give rise to accelerated growth in terms of economy.
It is important that issues of industrialization where you have Chinese companies coming on board to set up companies that will be able to produce fertilizer locally in Africa, will actually go a long way in fostering the growth of the agricultural sector, particularly the easy access to cheap fertilizer.
That will give more inclusive growth in the agriculture sector, particularly productivity."

Mwamba believed that Chinese support has no doubt contributed to poverty alleviation through the mechanization of the agriculture sector, skills transfer and enhancement of food security.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
"That aspect basically, is a commendable step in terms of enhancing the skills, and reducing the level of illiteracy on the continent."

Mwamba also noted Chinese investments in infrastructure development in Africa, which was key for unlocking African economies.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SYDNEY MWAMBA, Executive Director of Policy Monitoring and Research Centre, Zambia
"So this simply means that these infrastructure projects have basically generated employment to the local citizenry in Africa, jobs that are coming from the construction industry in terms of issues of service provision. And they have actually facilitated the operations of local enterprises within the African set up, and particularly even for Zambia, this is a clear indication. We have seen how Zambia as a country has benefitted from this (Belt and Road) Initiative in terms of infrastructure development."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lusaka.
(XHTV)