The Zambian government has praised relations between Zambia and Finland, saying they will continue to be recognised, the Lusaka Times reports.

The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Christopher Yaluma described the relationship as business oriented and one that stems from the year of 1964, which was when the Finnish government recognised Zambia as an independent state.

In a networking event aimed at celebrating Finnish Business Week, Mr Yaluma revealed that relations between the two countries helped bring in a yearly US$35M in revenue from exports, as well as boost private sector growth through grants targeting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

This follows news of about 20 Finnish companies expressing interest in doing business in Zambia.

Finnish Ambassador to Zambia, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, said: “We are moving to the right direction with our Zambian partners. It looks like joint efforts by the Finnish and Zambian governments to strengthen trade relations are bearing fruit. I am delighted to see that so many Finnish companies are interested in collaborating with Zambia. They have plenty of expertise and innovative technological solutions to offer and can contribute to sustainable economic development in Zambia. Finland and Zambia share a long history of cooperation, and we are keen to build on that foundation, in the form of enhanced trade and business relations.”

Mr Yaluma called for further cooperation between the two countries, both for the sake of helping businesses thrive and easing investors’ access to markets.