LUSAKA - Zambia is blessed with abundant natural resources, coupled with its strategic geographical location as a land locked nation in the southern part of Africa. From the inception, Zambia has largely depended on copper and other minerals. Copper production has contributed highly to Zambia's economic growth, though not up to the expectation of many citizens.
Zambia is ranked as the world's seventh-largest producer of copper, generating nearly 4% of the world's production, and is the ninth-largest global producer of cobalt accounting for 2.6% of the global production.
Ironically, the country is not able to collect much profit from its mining activities due to poor mining policies and incentives given to investors, making its economy more vulnerable due to huge reliance on copper mining. This is evident in the falling copper prices and failure in production as a result of limited investment in the mining industry.
The radio documentary focuses on Konkola Copper Mines, Zambia's largest mining project, highlighting the conditions that led to the fall of this mining giant. The report also examines the total tax revenue that Zambia might have lost to the Indian investor, Vedanta. What is the way forward for this mining giant? How has this impacted Zambia's economy? Is the Zambian government able to find a new investor? It also highlights and exposes the purported corrupt practices of dishonest individuals and bureaucrats.
Photo credit: BlueSalo, From Wikimedia Commons.
RADIO:
- The exploitation of copper mines in Zambia - DC Talk Radio, 06/05/2022
ONLINE:
- Who moved my copper? - Unbias the news, 29/07/2022
PRESS COVERAGE
- Who moved my copper? Why Zambia's rich natural resources fail to serve its own citizens. Zambian Eye, 17/08/2022.
- Who moved my copper? Why Zambia's rich natural resources fail to serve its own citizens. Zambian Telegraph, 19/09/2022.
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