Zambia: Top Mining Investment Destination for Britain – British High Commissioner

British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Woolley with President Edgar Chagwa Lungu on Jan 27th 2020

High Commissioner to Zambia His Excellency Nicholas Woolley paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Honourable Richard Musukwa on Tuesday 18th February 2020 (morning) at his office at Government Complex.Nicholas Woolley was appointed as Her Majesty’s High Commissioner to Zambia in August 2019. Prior to this he was Her Majesty’s Deputy High Commissioner to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2014 to 2016.The Hon. Minister welcomed the High Commissioner to Zambia and to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.

British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Woolley with Mines and Minerals Development Minister Richard Musukwa on Tuesday 18th February 2020

The Minister informed the High Commissioner that Zambia is predominantly a mining country and that mining has and will continue to play a major role in the economic development of the country by creating linkages with other sectors such as manufacturing, Agriculture, construction, energy and tourism as highlighted in the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

The Minister further went on to say that, the role of the Government was to provide an enabling environment for investment in the mining sector to thrive and ensure that investors get a fair return on capital.

The Minister stated that he would like to encourage the participation of Zambians in the exploitation of the mineral resources that the country was endowed with as opposed to Zambians sitting on the side lines, only participating in support services and supply of equipment and consumables to the mines.

Secretary to the Cabinet Simon Miti, British envoy Nicholas Woolley, President Lungu and Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji

The High Commissioner started by saying that he will continue to promote Zambia as a top investment destination for British investment in the mining sector.

The High Commissioner informed the Minister that the British Government was ready to work with and support small-scale miners in Zambia, specifically gold miners in order to have sustainable mining operations.

Gold has been declared as a strategic mineral for Zambia and the Government through ZCCM-IH with its’ newly incorporated ZCCM Gold Company is working on increasing Zambia’s annual gold production significantly starting with current year by buying gold from primary and secondary sources including artisanal and small scale miners.

Smart Eagles Zambia

The High Commissioner further stated that he was happy with the work that was being done so far at the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development and that he would like more collaboration in the area of local content, supply chains and capacity building for all stakeholders in Zambia’s mining sector. – Smart Eagles Zambia