Zambia's Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry has urged African countries to trade among themselves before engaging with the outside world.

Chipoka Mulenga remarked this at the Namibia-Zambia Business Seminar panel discussion held at Swakopmund.

The Zambian Minister says African nations should start enhancing one another instead of competing against each other.

He lauded Namibia for its strong economic growth, significant advancement in development and the country's accomplishments in the last few years, which Zambia wishes to benchmark from.

Mulenga said the next challenge for the two countries to address will be the severe food crisis affecting the world.

He said that Zambia produces 300% more maize grain than is consumed locally, making it self-sufficient.

However, they face storage issues, resulting in the waste of produce. Mulenga thus invited Namibia to import sugar from Zambia, as they produce a surplus.

The minister is concerned that Zambia imports fish and salt from as far as China, while Namibia has a thriving fish industry.