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Zambia hopes mining will set off financial revival

Zambia is pinning its hopes on the mining sector for an economic revival after the worst drought in living memory triggered a sharp downturn in growth this year, its financing minister said on Tuesday.

Situmbeko Musokotwane informed an event on the economic outlook that new mines were opening imminently and old mines were re-investing to raise output.

If all goes according to plan, 2025 must be the start of this revival and it will be getting stronger and stronger each year moving forward, he stated.

The federal government approximates in 2015's copper production was over 770,000 loads, a boost on the 698,000 lots produced in 2023.

Zambia wants to raise copper output to about 1 million loads by 2026 and even more out to 3 million lots.

A finance ministry discussion to the same occasion showed officials were still optimistic that economic development would reach 6.6% this year.

The government has modified down its estimate for 2024 development to 1.2% from the 2.3% projection given in September due to the sticking around impacts of the drought, the presentation said.

Zambia is still targeting a budget deficit of 3.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, higher than the most recent quote of last year's deficit, which now stands at 2.7% of GDP.

The southern African country, the first African nation to default on its sovereign debt during the COVID-19 pandemic, has concurred restructuring terms for 90% of the external debt that it had hoped to restructure, the discussion likewise revealed.

Zambian authorities, consisting of the secretary to the treasury and reserve bank guv, are in China to talk about some of the debt that still needs to be remodelled, Musokotwane stated.

(source: Reuters)