Zambia’s 3 million metric tonnes of copper target: mitigating governance risks associated with Chinese mining
Zambia is Africa’s second-largest copper producer and aims to increase annual copper production to three million metric tonnes by 2031. To achieve this target, the country is seeking increased mining investment, including through its partnership with China. The study documented Chinese ownership across several major mining operations, alongside minority shareholdings held by the state-owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investments Holdings.
This case study assessed governance and corruption risks associated with increased Chinese investment in Zambia’s copper mining sector. Drawing on the Mining Awards Corruption Risk Assessment (MACRA) framework and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance Standard, the research adopted a qualitative, participatory approach to examine institutional, environmental and socio-political risks associated with mining expansion. It examined the policy, legal, and regulatory framework; challenges in regulatory enforcement; land administration; and the experiences of mining-affected communities.
The study identified four priority governance and corruption risks: i) corruption and the use of Zambian citizens as fronts in land acquisitions; ii) political interference and regulatory capture; iii) threats and bribery during inspections and monitoring; and iv) information suppression and undue influence over media reporting.
The findings linked these risks to opaque procurement practices, weak conflict-of-interest disclosure, limited institutional capacity, and discretion in enforcement decisions. The study also documented concerns about environmental pollution, worker safety, community displacement and restrictions on journalists’ access to affected communities. Its recommendations focused on strengthening regulation and enforcement, addressing political interference, and protecting media freedom and access to information.
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