A high-ranking Zimbabwean trade delegation is to visit Kenya soon on a fact-finding mission to explore new markets, an official with the Ministry of Industry and International Trade said on Wednesday.

Acting director for regional and international trade Angelica Katuruza said that the tour would also present Zimbabwe with a chance to learn how Kenya had managed to increase its export base and penetrate the region.

Kenya is among the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa)'s leading exporters. "The two governments are working on an appropriate date for the visit which will take place this month," she said.

"We want to learn how Kenya has managed to increase its export base within the region," she said.

The tour, to be led by the ministry, is part of the Zimbabwean government's National Export Strategy aimed at encouraging export of value added products to the region and beyond.

Other trade missions to China, Brazil and Tanzania had been lined up before year-end and the ministry had dispatched trade promotion officers to Malawi, Zambia and Namibia to source new markets.

"As part of our National Export Strategy, we want to have organized trade visits to specific countries that can provide a lucrative market for our goods," she said.

Signing of any trade deals would be done after the tour, Katuruza said.

The visit to Kenya will be Zimbabwe's second high profile trade tour this month after Minister Obert Mpofu led a similar delegation to Equatorial Guinea this week.

Source: Xinhua