NAN-FE-7
Businesses
Minsk, June 7, 2017 (NAN) Mrs Sibanda-Thusi Nomatosho, the South African Ambassador to the Russian Federation, on Wednesday advised African businesses to seek assistance of Afreximbank to get more information on global trade.
Nomatosho, a member of a discussion panel at the maiden edition of Belarus-Africa Forum holding in Minsk, also called on African ambassadors to represent African business interests well.
She said that Afreximbank was better placed to get and provide business information around the world, stressing that Afreximbank was specifically created to speak on behalf of the 54 countries in Africa.
Nomatosho said that African ambassadors could not provide business information effectively well due to bureaucratic challenges in reporting to their home countries.
She said that Afreximbank would fast track the process of getting business information to businesses than ambassadors since the bank was not an appendage of government.
“This will short circuit the process of communicating to Africans on business information as our bureaucratic procedures of reporting to government are cumbersome.
“Our businesses have been missing opportunities because they don’t consult relevant agencies as required.
Nomatosho expressed regret that many African businessmen would not even consult their ambassadors for follow-up information on their business deals in foreign countries.
She commended Afreximbank for making efforts to advance the cause of African businesses through the Belarus-Africa forum.
The ambassador said that Belarus businesses were always passionate about their national interests and advised Africans to take a cue from this.
Nomatosho said that political relationship between Belarus and Africa was very strong and this would impact positively on business relationships. (NAN)
TA
Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi