Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Thursday.

-- Zambian President Edgar Lungu has called for more investment in the agro-processing industries to add value to Zambian products and increase employment opportunities

Lungu said his government supports calls for improved access to global and local agro-food markets, including transparent and open trading systems, as long as they did not negatively impact on local production. (Times of Zambia)

-- The Zambian government said it intends to take a bill to parliament aimed at making the foreign service professional and viable through qualified staff serving in missions abroad.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba said he will take the Foreign Service Bill when parliament starts sitting, adding that the bill will be looking at new dimensions such as economic diplomacy.

The bill will also ensure that only qualified staff are employed in missions abroad unlike the current situation where people are appointed on partisan lines. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- Zambia is among eight other countries that have joined forces in enhancing youth entrepreneurship eco-systems and in facilitating collaboration on joint activities that will promote trade within and across borders.

The countries have come together under an initiative called Southern African Chapter of the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs. The countries include Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia.

Among the objectives of the initiative is to tackle the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality through cross border trade facilitations. (Daily Nation) Endit