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Hichilema Returns From COMESA Summit as Vice-Chair, Hands Over Title for New Headquarters in Lusaka

The Zambian Economist — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:53:05 +0000

Zambia leaves the 25th COMESA Summit as Vice-Chairperson of the bloc, with a title deed handed over for a new headquarters in Lusaka and a call for member states to buy from each other first.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

KEY TAKEAWAYS

President Hakainde Hichilema used his address at the 25th COMESA Summit in Harare to urge the 21 member states to trade more with each other before looking elsewhere.
Zambia assumed the role of COMESA Vice-Chairperson as Kenya’s President William Ruto handed the chairmanship to Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zambia handed over a certificate of title for land on which member states will build a new COMESA headquarters in Lusaka.
Intra-COMESA exports have fallen from a peak of about US$18 billion in 2023 to about US$13 billion in 2025, according to a ZimTrade brief, which shows the size of the task.

President Hakainde Hichilema has returned to Lusaka from Harare after the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government Summit, where Zambia took up the role of Vice-Chairperson and formally committed land for a new headquarters for the bloc.

In a statement after the summit, the President said he had called on all 21 member states “to trade more with each other before looking elsewhere,” arguing that this would create more jobs and business opportunities across the region. He said the Grow Zambia Agenda had also featured in his discussions.

A new seat for the Secretariat

During the summit, Zambia handed over a certificate of title deed for the member states to build a new COMESA headquarters in Lusaka. The Secretariat has been based in Lusaka since the bloc was established, so the title deed secures that position for the long term rather than creating it.

A purpose-built headquarters brings practical benefits for the host city: construction work, regional staff based in Lusaka, and a steady flow of meetings, delegations and technical missions. Those gains will depend on member states agreeing the financing and getting the building done, which the summit did not settle publicly.

Vice-Chair to Zimbabwe’s chairmanship

President Ruto of Kenya handed the COMESA chairmanship to President Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, the summit host. Zambia, which chaired the bloc after hosting the 22nd Summit in Lusaka in 2023, now sits as Vice-Chairperson. The role keeps Lusaka at the centre of the bloc’s leadership over the coming year.

The trade gap behind the call

The President’s appeal reflects a long-standing weakness. Member states still trade far more with markets outside the bloc than with each other. A ZimTrade brief published in October estimates that intra-COMESA exports peaked at about US$18 billion in 2023 before falling to about US$13 billion in 2025, and that goods from other members make up only around 4 percent of imports.

For Zambian producers, the regional market is close and large. Copper dominates exports to the rest of the world, but processed foods, cement, fertiliser, sugar and manufactured goods are the kinds of products that tend to find buyers in neighbouring markets first. Selling more of them into the region is one of the more realistic ways to widen the export base that the Grow Zambia Agenda is targeting.

Words at a summit do not remove the obstacles. Slow border clearance, non-tariff barriers, poor rail and road links, and payment and currency frictions keep regional trade expensive. Progress on those points will show whether the call to trade with each other first turns into more trucks, trains and invoices crossing COMESA borders.

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Zambia Secures US$6.17 Million Japanese Grant to Support Railway Revival

The Zambian Economist — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:03:51 +0000

Japan has committed ¥999 million, about US$6.17 million, to buy railway maintenance equipment for Zambia, a modest but practical addition to a year of heavy rail financing.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Japan has committed a grant of ¥999 million, about US$6.17 million, for railway maintenance equipment in Zambia.
The Exchange of Notes was signed in Lusaka on Thursday by Finance Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane and Japanese Ambassador Mikami Akiteru.
The grant adds to a run of rail financing this year, including a €50 million EU grant and a US$1.4 billion TAZARA partnership.
Its real test will be whether Zambia Railways keeps the track in service once the new equipment arrives.

Zambia’s railways have received fresh support from Tokyo. The Government of Japan has committed a grant of ¥999 million, equivalent to about US$6.17 million, to help maintain the country’s rail network.

Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, Minister of Finance and National Planning, and Japan’s Ambassador to Zambia, Mikami Akiteru, signed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement in Lusaka on Thursday. The ambassador said the money comes under Japan’s 2026 Grant Aid Project, the Economic and Social Development Programme, and will pay for railway maintenance equipment.

The yen amount is fixed. The dollar value moves with the exchange rate, which explains why the Japanese side put the grant at about US$6.3 million.

What the money is for

This is a grant, not a loan, so it adds nothing to Zambia’s debt. Its scope is narrow. It funds equipment to keep existing track in working order rather than new lines.

That focus is sensible. Zambia’s rail problem has long been less about routes on a map and more about the condition of the track that already exists. Poor track forces lower speeds, causes derailments and pushes shippers back onto the roads. Dr Musokotwane said the support would help Zambia Railways rehabilitate its track and systems and run its services more efficiently.

Why rail matters for trade

Moving bulk goods by rail is generally cheaper than by truck, and it spares the road network from heavy wear. For a landlocked country that exports copper and agricultural produce, transport cost feeds straight into competitiveness.

The minister linked the grant to the Grow Zambia Agenda and its push for export-led growth. Moving minerals and farm output to regional ports more cheaply, he argued, is central to that plan. That theme ran through his September outline of an export-led growth strategy.

Part of a larger rail push

The Japanese grant is small next to other recent commitments, but it fits a clear pattern. In June, Government said it had secured more than US$1.48 billion in rail deals and grants. That included a US$1.4 billion public-private partnership to rehabilitate the TAZARA line and a €50 million EU grant for track, signalling and telecommunications on the Livingstone to Copperbelt section.

In August, the African Development Bank approved a US$255 million loan and a US$10 million grant for Zambia’s part of the Lobito Corridor, which includes about 550 km of new railway.

Big corridor projects attract headlines. Maintenance decides whether a railway still works ten years later. Japan’s equipment grant sits in that less visible but necessary category.

The question that remains

Government wants Zambia to become a regional transport and logistics hub, given its position between several trade corridors. The grant supports that aim, and better rail capacity should, over time, draw more investment into the sector and support jobs along the supply chain.

The return will depend on execution. New equipment needs trained crews, spare parts and a maintenance budget that survives beyond the grant. Zambia reaffirmed its commitment to implement the project well and to deepen cooperation with Japan. Freight volumes on the line will show whether that commitment holds.

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Hichilema Heads to Harare for 25th COMESA Summit as Zimbabwe Takes the Chair

The Zambian Economist — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:18:48 +0000

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key takeaways

President Hakainde Hichilema travels to Harare for the 25th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government on Thursday, 22 October 2026.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa takes over the COMESA chair from Kenya’s William Ruto, with Eswatini as vice-chair and Kenya as rapporteur.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe says Zambia will push for the removal of trade barriers, stronger regional value chains and better connectivity.
The stakes for Zambian exporters are real: the DRC, a COMESA member, took about 36 percent of Zambia’s non-traditional exports in 2023, while the bloc’s internal exports have fallen about 28 percent from their 2023 peak.

President Hakainde Hichilema is expected in Harare, Zimbabwe, for the 25th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The summit runs under the theme “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”, and Zambia, which hosts the COMESA Secretariat in Lusaka, wants it to produce fewer border obstacles for its goods.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mulambo Haimbe announced the trip in a statement. He said the President’s attendance reflects Zambia’s commitment to regional integration and to the Grow Zambia Agenda, the government’s programme for growth, trade, investment and opportunities for local firms.

What Zambia wants from Harare

Mr Haimbe set out three asks. Zambia will press for the removal of trade barriers, stronger regional value chains and improved connectivity between member states. President Hichilema is expected to discuss practical steps on integration and industrialisation with fellow leaders, and to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines focused on trade, investment and Zambia’s development priorities.

The minister said the aim is wider markets for Zambian goods and services, more value addition at home and more room for local enterprises to compete. Those are government objectives, and the summit itself will not deliver them. What it can do is set the direction that the COMESA Council of Ministers and national customs authorities then have to implement.

Why the numbers make this summit matter for Zambia

COMESA brings together 21 member states with a combined population of more than 640 million people and a total GDP of about US$1.2 trillion, according to figures cited by Zimbabwe’s foreign ministry ahead of the summit. On paper that is a large market. In practice, member states still trade relatively little with each other.

A ZimTrade trade brief reported by Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper this month puts intra-COMESA exports at US$13 billion in 2025, down from a peak of US$18 billion in 2023. That is a fall of roughly 28 percent in two years.

For Zambia the regional market is far from abstract. The Zambia Development Agency’s 2023 Exporter Survey found that the Democratic Republic of Congo, a COMESA member, absorbed US$1.54 billion of Zambia’s non-traditional exports that year, about 36 percent of the total. Combined COMESA and SADC markets took US$1.95 billion, or 46 percent. When a truck of cement, maize meal or steel is held at a border post, it is often these markets that are affected.

Indicator	Figure	Source
COMESA member states	21	Government of Zimbabwe
Combined population	640 million+	Government of Zimbabwe
Combined GDP	About US$1.2 trillion	Government of Zimbabwe
Intra-COMESA exports, 2023 peak	US$18 billion	ZimTrade
Intra-COMESA exports, 2025	US$13 billion	ZimTrade
DRC share of Zambia’s non-traditional exports, 2023	About 36%	Zambia Development Agency

Zimbabwe takes the chair

The summit will oversee the handover of the COMESA Authority chair from Kenyan President William Ruto to President Mnangagwa. The new bureau will have Zimbabwe as chairperson, Eswatini as vice-chairperson and Kenya as rapporteur. Under COMESA’s rotation, the host country usually holds the chair for one year, which places Zimbabwe at the head of the bloc for 2026 to 2027.

That has a practical edge for Zambia. Zimbabwe is a direct neighbour and a close trading partner: ZimTrade data shows Zimbabwe’s exports to Zambia rose from US$52.6 million in 2020 to US$131.4 million in 2025, making Zambia Zimbabwe’s most important COMESA market. A chair whose own trade depends heavily on the Zambian border has reason to take cross-border friction seriously. Zimbabwe last hosted the summit in Victoria Falls in 2009, when the COMESA Customs Union was launched.

What is on the agenda?

According to Mr Haimbe, leaders will review progress on regional integration and consider priority programmes to speed up economic cooperation. They will also consider decisions and reports from lower policy organs, including the COMESA Council of Ministers and ministers responsible for foreign affairs, together with the outcomes of the 19th COMESA Business Forum held in Harare earlier this week.

Zimbabwean officials have been blunt about the gap between promises and delivery. Zimbabwe’s Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu told business delegates that the immediate task was to “convert these commitments into implementation”.

What it means for Zambian businesses and investors

For exporters

Firms selling into the DRC, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya should watch for summit decisions on non-tariff barriers, such as permit delays, duplicated inspections and inconsistent rules of origin. These add cost even where tariffs are already zero under the COMESA Free Trade Area.

For investors

Zambia’s pitch to investors leans on access to regional markets beyond its own population of about 21 million. Commitments on value chains, particularly around copper, cobalt and agro-processing, would strengthen that case. Statements without timelines would not.

For ordinary Zambians

Smoother borders mean lower transport costs, which feed into the price of imported goods and the earnings of local producers who sell abroad. The effect is slow and indirect, and it depends on what customs officers at Chirundu, Kasumbalesa and Victoria Falls actually do after the summit ends.

What happens next

Mr Haimbe said Zambia, as host of the COMESA Secretariat, remains committed to the organisation’s objectives and will keep working with other member states. President Hichilema is expected to return home after his engagements in Zimbabwe. The summit communiqué, normally issued at the close, will be the first test of whether Zambia’s three asks made it onto the bloc’s to-do list. The Zambian Economist will report on the outcome.

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Hichilema links Great Lakes peace to jobs and regional growth

The Zambian Economist — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:54:58 +0000

At the ICGLR ministerial meeting in Lusaka, President Hakainde Hichilema argues that lasting security must underpin investment, resource processing and shared prosperity.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst | 19 October 2026

President Hakainde Hichilema has called for peace and regional integration to translate into economic opportunities across the Great Lakes region, arguing that insecurity undermines the livelihoods and investment needed for sustained growth.

Opening the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting in Lusaka on Monday, 19 October, he connected the region’s security challenges with the prospects of households and businesses.

“Insecurity anywhere is insecurity everywhere,” the President said in a statement on the meeting.

He said conflict destroys lives and livelihoods, while ending it allows families to rebuild and businesses to create jobs. Those opportunities, he argued, give communities an economic stake in preserving peace.

From regional integration to economic transformation

Hichilema said the twentieth anniversary of the ICGLR Pact should prompt renewed attention to the economic purpose of regional cooperation. He called for greater value addition to resources already available in the region, supported by lasting peace, security and stability.

“When Zambia grows, the whole region should grow with us,” he said, describing the Grow Zambia Agenda as a regional agenda.

The ICGLR Secretariat’s 15 October announcement identified the Lusaka session as the twentieth ordinary meeting of the committee, concluding statutory meetings held from 8 to 19 October. It listed peace and security, humanitarian issues, natural resource governance and regional cooperation among the priorities.

Why does regional peace matter for Zambia’s economy?

For Zambia, regional stability matters because businesses depend on customers, suppliers and transport routes beyond the country’s borders. Conflict can interrupt those relationships, make deliveries less predictable and discourage firms from committing money to long-term projects.

These are economic transmission channels, rather than estimates of losses from this particular meeting or conflict. The presidential statement supplied for this report did not quantify the investment or jobs that might follow from improved security.

For a small exporter, greater predictability can mean being able to honour a delivery contract. For a household, sustained demand for local goods and services can support income. Neither outcome follows automatically from a diplomatic declaration; it depends on security improvements reaching the places where people work and trade.

Value addition requires more than mineral deposits

Processing resources within the region could support demand for local services and industrial skills. But investors also need dependable electricity, workable transport links, clear rules and viable markets for the finished products.

The President’s remarks therefore raise a practical policy question: how will governments turn regional commitments into conditions that allow firms to invest? Progress would need to be assessed through implementation, including reliable trade routes and projects that move into production, rather than the number of meetings held.

This connects with Zambia’s wider debate on mining, local businesses and value addition, and the relationship between foreign financing and lasting domestic capacity.

What businesses and policymakers should watch

Businesses should look for specific follow-through on cross-border cooperation and resource governance. Policymakers face the task of explaining what will change, which institutions will deliver it and how the public will judge progress.

The supplied statement does not announce a new financing package, a signed investment agreement or a timetable for industrial projects. Its central proposition is that Zambia’s growth ambitions are tied to the stability and prosperity of its neighbours. Delivering that ambition will require economic opportunities to accompany the work of securing peace.

Explore our Economic Diplomacy coverage for more on Zambia’s regional and international partnerships.

Sources: Statement attributed to President Hakainde Hichilema, supplied to The Zambian Economist; ICGLR Secretariat announcement dated 15 October 2026. The economic implications discussed above are The Zambian Economist’s analysis.

Photo: President Hakainde Hichilema’s Official Facebook Page.

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Zambia congratulates Thailand, IMF and World Bank on successful 2026 Annual Meetings

The Zambian Economist — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 05:23:47 +0000

Zambia has congratulated Thailand, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group on the successful hosting of the 2026 Annual Meetings in Bangkok, with Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane highlighting opportunities to strengthen partnerships and advance the country’s development priorities.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Government and the Zambian delegation, Dr. Musokotwane praised Thailand’s hospitality and organisation, alongside the leadership of the two international financial institutions.

He commended Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Ekniti Nitithanprapas; IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva; and World Bank Group President Ajay Banga for their contributions to the gathering.

The meetings provided Zambia with an opportunity to engage partners on development financing, debt sustainability, economic stability, private investment and job creation, the minister said.

“We leave Bangkok encouraged by the spirit of cooperation and renewed commitment to translating international dialogue into practical development outcomes that improve the lives of our citizens,” Dr. Musokotwane said.

He described Thailand’s hosting as a demonstration of its capacity to bring countries together in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual respect and constructive engagement. Beyond the conference facilities and arrangements, he praised the warmth of the Thai people, their culture and the welcome extended to visiting delegations.

Dr. Musokotwane also thanked the Zambian delegation for its professionalism, teamwork and contributions to the country’s engagements.

He acknowledged Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa; Bank of Zambia Governor Dr. Denny Kalyalya; Zambia Revenue Authority Commissioner General Dingani Banda; Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Arnold Simwaba; and Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary Dr. Hapenga Kabeta.

He further recognised Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor for Operations Dr. Francis Chipimo and Zambia’s Ambassador to Malaysia, accredited to Thailand, Morecome Mumba, alongside supporting officials and diplomatic personnel.

The minister said the delegation’s collective expertise and commitment had helped advance Zambia’s interests and strengthen engagement with international financial institutions, development partners and prospective investors.

“The true legacy of these meetings will be measured not only by the quality of the discussions, but also by the strength of the partnerships forged and the tangible benefits they will deliver to people across the world,” he said.

He concluded by expressing Zambia’s appreciation to Thailand, the IMF, the World Bank Group and all those involved in organising the meetings.

Source: Statement from Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, Minister of Finance and National Planning.

Photo: © Ministry of Finance and National Planning, #mofnp, Lusaka-Zambia.

Grow Zambia: World Bank talks focus on farm markets, transport and jobs

The Zambian Economist — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 20:03:37 +0000

Zambia’s discussions in Bangkok put agricultural markets, transport links and private investment at the centre of efforts to turn economic stability into higher production and employment.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key Takeaways

The World Bank has welcomed the Grow Zambia Agenda, according to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
Discussions cover farm markets, transport infrastructure, energy security and private investment.
Government wants smallholder farmers and young agricultural entrepreneurs to participate in economic expansion.
Zambia is targeting annual copper production of three million metric tonnes by 2031.

Zambia is seeking to turn economic stability into higher production, exports and employment through World Bank discussions on agriculture, transport infrastructure and private investment under the Grow Zambia Agenda.

The Ministry of Finance and National Planning said the World Bank had welcomed the agenda and described its approach as clear and compelling. The discussions in Bangkok are focusing on investments intended to create jobs and improve livelihoods.

Finance and National Planning Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane is participating in engagements during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings, taking place in Bangkok from 12 to 18 October.

Farmers need buyers and reliable routes to market

Agriculture is a central part of the discussions, with Zambia seeking to increase production while improving access to buyers, storage, affordable transport and financing.

The Ministry said the World Bank’s AgriConnect initiative could help address obstacles facing agricultural businesses. Government wants commercial farms, medium-scale producers and smallholders to expand together, with larger businesses creating markets for smaller farmers and opportunities for local suppliers.

The World Bank describes AgriConnect as an initiative supporting smallholder farming and agribusiness. Zambia’s discussions include the conditions needed to translate higher output into sales and rural employment.

The Ministry also said the World Bank had engaged young Zambian agricultural entrepreneurs to understand the barriers to expanding their businesses. Their concerns are being considered during project preparation.

Roads and railways feature in growth plans

Feeder roads, the Lobito Corridor, TAZARA and Zambia Railways form part of Zambia’s priorities for moving agricultural produce and minerals to market.

The Ministry said better transport connections could lower business costs, improve competitiveness and help producers reach more customers. The agenda links increased production with the infrastructure needed to move and sell goods.

For agriculture, the discussions cover maize, soybeans, sugar and other products, alongside the services needed to connect farms with markets.

Copper ambition depends on energy and investment

Zambia is targeting annual copper production of three million metric tonnes by 2031. The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development has also identified that target in its mining-sector plans.

The Finance Ministry said achieving the ambition would require investment, reliable energy, improved infrastructure and supportive policies. Increased production is intended to create opportunities for workers, suppliers and local businesses.

Energy security and preparedness for possible El Niño-related disruptions were also discussed. Government is seeking stronger production systems and infrastructure to protect businesses and livelihoods from economic and climate shocks.

Private investment and public-finance discipline

The Ministry said Government was seeking private investment to support economic expansion while maintaining discipline in public spending. The objective is to increase production without undermining economic stability or placing unnecessary pressure on public finances.

Diplomatic missions are also promoting investment opportunities, including the December 2026 IZIC Conference, as Zambia engages international financiers and investors.

The Grow Zambia Agenda aims to expand productive farming and business activity, improve transport and increase employment and household incomes. Government also expects a stronger economy to support sustainable revenue for schools, hospitals and other public services.

The talks concern potential cooperation and investment opportunities. No specific new World Bank financing amount or project approval has been announced in the Ministry’s account of these engagements.

Photograph credit: Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

Explore our Business & Economy coverage and Economic Diplomacy reporting. Related: Musokotwane calls for stronger IDA support and productive investment; Zambia’s manufacturing vision and local production.

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Zambia backs preparations for African Hydro Symposium on climate resilience

The Zambian Economist — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:48:18 +0000

A Charter House meeting puts stakeholder participation on the agenda ahead of November’s Addis Ababa gathering on hydropower and water-energy security.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key Takeaways

Permanent Secretary Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen met KGRTC’s Caristo Chitamfya to discuss preparations for the 36th African Hydro Symposium.
The Ministry pledged support to facilitate participation by relevant stakeholders.
KGRTC and UNECA list the Addis Ababa event for 3-6 November 2026, under a theme linking climate resilience, hydropower and water-energy security.
The engagement announces coordination support, with no new electricity project or financing commitment specified in the supplied briefing.

Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has pledged support for stakeholder participation in the 36th African Hydro Symposium, as preparations continue for the November gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the supplied meeting briefing, Ms Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen, Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation, received Mr Caristo Chitamfya, Head of Communications, Marketing and Business Development at the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre (KGRTC), at Charter House.

The discussions focused on preparations for the symposium. Gundersen assured Chitamfya of the Ministry’s support in facilitating effective participation by relevant stakeholders. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation.

What is the African Hydro Symposium about?

The meeting briefing gives the theme as “Climate Resilience Hydropower and Water-Energy Security in Africa”. KGRTC’s event announcement uses the wording “Climate-Resilient Hydropower and Water-Energy Security in Africa”.

Senior government officials, utility companies and development finance institutions are expected to participate, alongside private businesses, researchers, technical experts and development partners from Africa and beyond, according to the supplied briefing.

KGRTC says the symposium will be held alongside the 11th Hydropower for Today Forum. Its programme covers plant operations, climate resilience, project financing, skills and electricity markets.

When will it take place?

KGRTC’s announcement and a UNECA release dated 13 October 2026 give the symposium dates as 3-6 November 2026 in Addis Ababa. These match the supplied meeting briefing.

The UN Indico registration listing currently shows 3-5 November at the United Nations Conference Centre. Prospective delegates should confirm the final programme and attendance dates with the organisers before making travel arrangements.

Why water-energy security matters for Zambia

Hydropower converts the movement of water into electricity. When water availability changes, the amount of power that a station can generate can change too. Managing that relationship requires attention to river-basin conditions as well as turbines and transmission lines.

For Zambian businesses, the practical concern is dependable electricity for production. A factory’s ability to fulfil orders, or a small enterprise’s ability to operate equipment, depends on power being available when it is needed. Households face the same reliability question in daily life.

Climate resilience therefore has a concrete meaning for electricity planning: assessing how a plant and the wider system would perform under different water conditions. Diversifying supply and coordinating generation sources can form part of that assessment. The appropriate mix requires technical and financial appraisal.

What could Zambia gain from participation?

The symposium offers a setting for utilities and technical institutions to compare operating experience and examine investment proposals. For Zambia, useful follow-up could include training that addresses specific operational gaps and better preparation of projects for financing. These are potential benefits, rather than outcomes secured by the Charter House meeting.

In its October release, UNECA says an African Energy Security Policy Framework launch and a cooperation memorandum involving AFREC and KGRTC are expected at the event. Those remain planned outcomes; the release does not establish that they have already taken place.

For developers and financiers, discussions on climate risk need to translate into credible project assumptions. Water availability, expected electricity sales and the cost of building and operating a plant all affect whether an investment is viable.

What should follow the preparatory meeting?

The supplied briefing identifies support for participation but does not name a final Zambian delegation, its budget or specific technical submissions. It also announces no new generation capacity, financing agreement or change to electricity supply schedules.

A useful measure of participation would be what stakeholders bring back: agreed technical work, practical training opportunities and project-preparation steps with named institutions responsible for follow-up. Attendance can open a conversation. The benefit to electricity users depends on subsequent delivery.

Sources: supplied Charter House meeting briefing; KGRTC symposium announcement; UNECA’s 13 October 2026 release; UN Indico event listing, checked 15 October 2026. Implications for businesses and proposed follow-up measures are The Zambian Economist’s analysis.

Follow our Agriculture & Mining coverage and Economic Diplomacy reporting. Related: ZESCO and the Emoluments Commission discuss sustainable pay and skills retention; What Zambia’s manufacturing vision means for production and jobs.

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Musokotwane urges stronger IDA support and private-sector-led growth in Africa

The Zambian Economist — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:43:38 +0000

Zambia wants concessional finance to support productive investment and jobs, as the World Bank reports US$22 billion in private capital mobilised across Africa in FY2026.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key takeaways

Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has called for sustained IDA support alongside greater investment in Africa’s productive capacity.
The World Bank confirms that private capital mobilised across Africa rose from about US$9 billion in FY2022 to US$22 billion in FY2026.
Zambia’s priorities include preparing viable projects, attracting private investment and matching skills training to emerging jobs.
The discussion identifies potential cooperation; it announces no new financing commitment to Zambia.

Zambia has urged the World Bank Group to sustain concessional financing for Africa while directing greater support towards productive investment and private-sector-led job creation.

Finance and National Planning Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane made the call during an engagement between World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and African Governors at the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, according to the briefing supplied to The Zambian Economist. The IMF confirms that the meetings run from 12 to 18 October in Thailand.

Why Musokotwane wants stronger IDA support

Musokotwane said the International Development Association remained vital as conflicts and economic shocks originating outside Africa placed additional pressure on developing economies. He called for continued international support ahead of the IDA22 replenishment.

He argued that contributions should be viewed as investments in economic transformation and shared prosperity. Stronger African economies would expand markets and improve livelihoods, while helping address economic pressures behind irregular migration.

The minister pointed to Thailand and other Asian economies as examples of transformation through sustained reforms, investment and stronger institutions. Social-sector financing remained essential, he said, but productive capacity and industrial development also needed attention.

The World Bank’s published timetable places the formal launch of the IDA22 replenishment cycle in December 2026, with the final pledging meeting expected in December 2027. Musokotwane’s appeal therefore concerns an upcoming funding round.

US$22 billion across Africa, rather than a Zambia allocation

The World Bank Group reported mobilising approximately US$22 billion in private capital across Africa in fiscal year 2026, compared with about US$9 billion in fiscal year 2022. The figures are corroborated by its September private-capital announcement.

These are Africa-wide mobilisation figures. They do not represent funding allocated to Zambia, a new sovereign loan or money available for immediate budget spending.

According to the meeting briefing, Banga outlined local-currency financing, guarantees, political risk insurance and debt-for-development arrangements as tools for attracting investment. The briefing also reports a target of more than US$6 billion in annual guarantee issuance in Africa by 2030.

Turning infrastructure proposals into viable projects

Musokotwane said the shift towards investment would require changes within African governments and the World Bank Group. Public institutions needed expertise in preparing viable projects, structuring financing and facilitating investment, alongside their traditional work of securing development assistance.

Railway development illustrated the technical and financial capabilities required to turn a proposal into a project investors can finance. For Zambia, the practical challenge is to develop projects with credible costs, revenue assumptions and clear responsibilities for delivery.

Banga described risk-sharing arrangements involving multilateral lenders, guarantee agencies and international reinsurers. He cited Angola’s debt-for-development arrangement as an example of refinancing obligations on better terms and directing savings to priority sectors, according to the briefing.

What could this mean for Zambia?

The instruments discussed could support investment in energy, agriculture, mining, transport and manufacturing without relying exclusively on sovereign borrowing. Their suitability would depend on the terms of each project.

A guarantee shifts specified risks between parties; it does not remove them. Where Government assumes obligations, the fiscal exposure still needs to be assessed. Any new sovereign financing, guarantees or refinancing would need to remain consistent with creditor agreements, applicable IMF-supported programme commitments and Zambia’s debt sustainability objectives under the G20 Common Framework.

For businesses, the opportunity lies in projects that create demand for suppliers and services. For households, the relevant outcomes are reliable infrastructure, employment and incomes. Those benefits depend on implementation, rather than the announcement of a financing instrument.

Skills must follow the investment pipeline

Banga used the Lobito Corridor to explain why training should anticipate the jobs that infrastructure and associated investment can generate. Training that fails to adjust to local labour demand can leave communities poorly placed to benefit.

For Zambia, aligning technical and vocational training with corridor investment could open opportunities in logistics, construction, mineral value addition and related services. Training providers would need information about employers’ requirements and when projects expect to hire.

The discussion fits the Grow Zambia Agenda’s emphasis on macroeconomic stability, higher production and private investment. It identifies potential areas of cooperation with the World Bank Group, rather than confirmed new financing commitments to Zambia.

Sources: Supplied engagement briefing; IMF Annual Meetings information; World Bank private-capital and IDA22 announcements linked above. Meeting-specific remarks and the Africa guarantee target are attributed to the supplied briefing.

Related coverage

Read our report on Musokotwane’s call for a stronger African voice in debt decisions and the Grow Zambia Agenda explainer. More reporting is available in our Economic Diplomacy hub.

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177 Votes: Zambia Wins UN Human Rights Council Seat With the Highest Tally of 2026

The Zambian Economist — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 04:38:36 +0000

Zambia took 177 of 181 votes in New York, the best result of any country elected this year. The slate was uncontested, and the seat comes weeks after a European Parliament censure. Here is what the vote does and does not settle.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Zambia was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on 13 October 2026 with 177 votes out of 181 cast, against a required majority of 97.
No newly elected member scored higher. Ghana (173), Nigeria (172) and Burundi (160) filled the other African Group seats.
Zambia will sit on the 47-member Council in Geneva for three years, from 2027 to 2029.
All 15 seats were uncontested, as in 2025. Human Rights Watch says that makes “a mockery of the word ‘election'”.
The seat arrives weeks after the European Parliament condemned Zambia’s post-election record. It gives Lusaka a platform, and a three-year spotlight on its own conduct.

Zambia has won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2027 to 2029. In a secret ballot of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, 13 October, it received 177 of the 181 votes cast, the highest count among the 15 countries elected. A candidate needed 97 votes, an absolute majority of the Assembly’s 193 members.

The delegation in New York was led by Mrs Mwenya Kaela Bwalya, Permanent Secretary (Legal) at the Ministry of Justice. The official statement on the result calls it “a resounding endorsement” of President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance, and says Zambia will use the term to bring the Council “closer to the people” and carry the concerns of developing countries.

How the vote went

Seats on the Council are shared out by region. The African Group holds 13 of the 47 seats, and four were up this year. Every regional group put forward exactly as many candidates as it had seats, so each country only had to clear the 97-vote bar. That leaves the size of the margin as the real measure of support, and on that measure Zambia finished first.

Regional group	Elected members (votes)
Africa	Zambia (177), Ghana (173), Nigeria (172), Burundi (160)
Asia-Pacific	Kuwait (173), Nepal (173), Jordan (171), Japan (166)
Eastern Europe	Republic of Moldova (168), Ukraine (162)
Latin America and Caribbean	Brazil (170), Dominican Republic (170), Uruguay (165)
Western Europe and Others	Ireland (165), Germany (163)

Four votes short of a full house is a strong result. Japan, Germany and Ireland polled between 163 and 166. Burundi, whose candidacy rights groups opposed, still cleared the threshold comfortably with 160.

Why an uncontested vote still tells you something

The lack of competition has drawn criticism. Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera that the vote “makes a mockery of the word ‘election'” and urged states to insist on competitive slates so that candidates with weak records can be rejected. This is the second year in a row that no seat was contested.

That criticism is fair, but it cuts less sharply against Zambia than against others. With no rival on the ballot, a country’s vote count is the one place where governments can register doubt, by leaving the line blank or voting against. Burundi lost 17 more votes than Zambia did. Zambia lost four.

The European Parliament question

The result lands a month after the European Parliament, on 17 September, adopted a resolution on post-election repression in Zambia and the killing of former minister Mutotwe Kafwaya. It passed by 562 votes to one. Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe rejected the resolution as interference, said the Zambia Police Service is investigating with oversight from the Zambia Human Rights Commission, and invited the EU to engage through diplomatic channels on “verified facts”.

EU member states, Ireland and Germany among them, voted in the same General Assembly session. The ballot is secret, so nobody outside the hall knows who withheld support. What the count does show is that the September censure did not turn into a loss of support for Zambia at the UN.

A Council seat also works in both directions. Members are expected to “uphold the highest standards” of human rights under UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which created the Council in 2006, and they are reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review during their term. The Kafwaya investigation, the handling of detainees and the conduct of police at protests will now be watched from Geneva as well as Brussels.

What it means for the economy

A UN seat does not move the kwacha. Its economic value is slower and more indirect, and it sits in three places.

Trade access

Zambia exports to the European Union duty-free and quota-free under the Everything But Arms scheme. EU rules allow those preferences to be withdrawn for “serious and systematic” violations of core human rights conventions, as happened to Cambodia in 2020. A country sitting on the UN’s main rights body, and engaging on the record there, is in a stronger position to keep any EU dispute in the diplomatic lane rather than the trade lane.

Investor perception

Governance scores feed into sovereign risk models, ESG screens used by pension funds, and the due diligence of lenders backing projects such as the Lobito Corridor. Zambia is courting that capital now: it has just reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF on a new US$1.47 billion Extended Credit Facility and signed US$2.14 billion of memoranda in Abu Dhabi. Broad diplomatic support is one of the inputs those investors read.

A seat at the development table

The Council debates the right to development, the human cost of debt and the effects of climate shocks. These are live issues for Zambia after its four-year debt restructuring and with a severe El Niño forecast for the 2026/27 season. The government’s pledge to carry “the lived realities” of developing countries can be tested against what its diplomats actually table in Geneva.

What happens next

Zambia’s term begins on 1 January 2027. The Council meets in Geneva in at least three regular sessions each year, so Zambia will cast votes on country resolutions, special procedures and investigations within months. Its voting record, published after every session, is the clearest way for Zambians to judge whether the seat is used to raise standards at home and abroad, or simply to deflect criticism.

For now, the numbers favour Lusaka. 177 votes is a mandate from the General Assembly. The next three years will decide whether it becomes a reputation.

Frequently asked questions

How many votes did Zambia get in the UN Human Rights Council election?

Zambia received 177 of 181 votes cast on 13 October 2026, the highest of any country elected. The required majority was 97.

When does Zambia serve on the UN Human Rights Council?

Zambia’s term runs for three years, from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029.

Which African countries were elected with Zambia?

Ghana (173 votes), Nigeria (172) and Burundi (160) were elected alongside Zambia for the African Group.

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EAZ Opens Partnership Talks With Uganda Economists on Joint Outlook Reports and a Shadow MPC

The Zambian Economist — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:35:13 +0000

The Economics Association of Zambia has opened talks with its Ugandan counterpart on a formal partnership. On the table: joint economic outlook reports, a continental summit and a shadow monetary policy committee that would publish an independent view on interest rates.

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The EAZ National Executive Committee, led by President Dr Edna Litana, met a six-member delegation from the Applied Economics Association of Uganda (AEAU) in a virtual meeting on Monday, 12 October 2026.
The talks covered six areas of cooperation, including joint Zambia and Uganda economic outlook reports and a shadow monetary policy committee.
Both sides explored a proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise the partnership. No signing date has been announced.
The Uganda talks take the new NEC’s partnership drive beyond Zambia, after courtesy calls on the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Zambia.

The Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) is negotiating a partnership with the Applied Economics Association of Uganda (AEAU) that could see the two professional bodies publish joint economic outlook reports and run a shadow monetary policy committee. The two sides met virtually on Monday, 12 October, according to a statement from the EAZ Secretariat.

EAZ President Dr Edna Litana led the Zambian side, joined by members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Secretariat staff. The Ugandan delegation was led by Mr Emmanuel Okware and included Mr Patrick Kumakech, Mr Dauda Kimanayi, Ms Emily Akullu Omacara, Dr Nicholas Mukisa and Dr Bernard Wabukala.

The meeting also explored a proposed MoU to set the terms of cooperation. The Secretariat’s statement gives no timeline for signing it.

What did EAZ and the Ugandan economists discuss?

The EAZ statement lists six areas of possible collaboration.

Area	What it would involve
Continental Economic Summit	A meeting point for economists, policymakers, researchers and private sector leaders from across Africa to discuss economic transformation.
Joint Zambia and Uganda Economic Outlook Reports	Shared analysis of macroeconomic developments, fiscal and monetary policy, investment and regional trends.
Collaborative Research and Policy Dialogue	Joint research projects, webinars, policy roundtables and knowledge exchange.
Economists Research Network	A network linking economists, academics and practitioners in both countries for joint research.
Professional Development and Young Economists	Mentorship, capacity building, academic exchanges and professional networking.
Shadow Monetary Policy Committee	Independent economic analysis of monetary policy and better public understanding of it.

What is a shadow monetary policy committee?

Of the six proposals, this is the one most likely to be noticed outside the profession. In Zambia, the Bank of Zambia’s Monetary Policy Committee sets the policy rate, which shapes what commercial banks charge on loans. We have explained how that rate reaches your loan repayments here.

A shadow committee is a panel of independent economists who review the same data as the central bank and publish their own recommendation on where the rate should be. The best-known example is in the United Kingdom, where a Shadow Monetary Policy Committee, now hosted by the Institute of Economic Affairs, has published its own rate votes alongside the Bank of England’s since 1997.

For a borrower or a business owner, the value is a second, published view to read each Bank of Zambia decision against. A committee drawn from two countries could also compare how Lusaka and Kampala respond to the same global pressures, such as oil prices or a stronger US dollar. How much weight it carries will depend on who sits on it and how reliably it publishes, and the EAZ statement does not yet say.

Why compare Zambia and Uganda?

The two economies have more in common than their distance suggests. Both are landlocked, both are members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and both depend heavily on commodity exports. Zambia earns most of its foreign exchange from copper. Uganda’s export earnings lean on gold and coffee.

They also sit in different regional blocs. Zambia belongs to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), while Uganda is part of the East African Community (EAC). A joint outlook report written by economists on both sides would give investors and policymakers a single reference point across that divide, something neither association currently produces alone.

What it means for EAZ members

For the association’s members, the practical gains sit in the research network and the professional development strand. Mentorship, academic exchanges and joint research projects would give Zambian economists, particularly younger ones, contacts and publishing opportunities outside the country.

The Secretariat says the engagement should expand professional opportunities for members and extend the association’s influence beyond Zambia.

Part of a wider push by the new NEC

Dr Litana’s executive has been building partnerships since its election in Livingstone. It has sought a formal partnership with the Ministry of Finance, paid a courtesy call on the Bank of Zambia and approached FNB Zambia for support. Last week it backed Zambia’s new IMF staff-level agreement.

The Uganda talks are the first of these to reach outside the country. The Secretariat frames them as part of the NEC’s EAZ Vision 2028 Agenda, which it says is focused on partnerships that deliver value to members and strengthen the contribution of economists to national and regional development.

What happens next

EAZ says it will share updates as the proposed areas of collaboration progress. Three things are worth watching: whether the MoU is signed and when, the date and scope of the first joint outlook report, and who is appointed to the shadow monetary policy committee.

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