$5m terminal opens at Kasumbalesa

A road transport terminal constructed at a cost of US$5 million by Reload Logistics has been commissioned at Kasumbalesa border post. And US$15 million has also been set aside for the construction of similar facilities at Nakonde and Mpulungu in the next two years.

The construction of the terminal will ease transportation and delivery of goods from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region to the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.
The terminal with a storage capacity of 40,000 tonnes will also create 140 jobs.
Reload Logistics Limited Director Rubi Sabag said the construction of the facility has been done in line with a London Metal Stock exchange requirement on the storage of metals in transit.
He said the logistics company has offices in all border areas in Zambia and that the firm intends to build a number of terminals once resources are available.
Commissioning the facility on Friday, Copperbelt minister Mwenya Musenge said an effective logistics sector will be a significant contributor to gross national development.
“The increasingly broad scope of supply chain management and transport now includes warehouse and distribution centre management and transport,” he said.
He said the establishment of the terminal will create jobs for the youths in the region especially with the current obtaining high levels of youth unemployment.
Mr Musenge said Lafarge Zambia is a co-partner in the development of the modern terminal.
The provincial minister said Government will provide uniform incentives for both local and foreign investors and promote trade for small scale business enterprises.
“Government will also establish economic zones which will include logistics parks and innovative hubs,” he said.
Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Siazongo Siakalenge said DRC was an important trade partner with Zambia and the SADC region as a whole.
Mr Siakalenge said the trade between Zambia and DRC was in the range of about US$1 billion per annum.
And Lafarge Zambia representative Phoebe Musonda said the company exports 25,000 tonnes of cement to DRC per month.
“We are going to work with Reload Logistics to deliver cement to DRC and beyond,” she said.

Zambia Daily Mail