President Hichilema Calls for Strategic Partnerships to Unlock Africa’s Mining Potential at Indaba 2026
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – 9 February 2026 – African nations must forge strategic partnerships and take ownership of their economic recovery programmes if the continent is to fully harness its mineral wealth for shared prosperity.
This was the clarion call from Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema as he delivered the keynote address on the opening day of Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026, held under the theme “Stronger Together: Progress Through Partnerships.”
Addressing a gathering of global investors, mining executives, and government leaders at the CTICC in Cape Town, President Hichilema shared Zambia’s remarkable economic turnaround story—from a contraction of -2.8% to growth of 6.4% within four years—as evidence that disciplined reform and genuine partnership can deliver transformative results.
“We are stronger together,” President Hichilema affirmed. “We all have capabilities, endowments, skills, and experience. But no single one of us has enough to deliver the total package for our economies.”
The President underscored that the revitalisation of Zambia’s mining sector has been central to the country’s economic agenda, anchored by regulatory certainty, transparent institutions, and the deployment of game-changing technologies. With copper now classified as a critical mineral for artificial intelligence, defence, and global electrification, Zambia is strategically positioned to meet surging demand.
Key achievements highlighted include:
-
Inflation reduced to single digits from a peak of 22%.
-
Over US$12 billion in new foreign investment since 2022, predominantly in mining.
-
Copper production growth of 12% in 2024 and 8% in 2025.
-
38 consecutive months of successful IMF Extended Credit Facility reviews.
-
Expansion of free education, enrolling 2.3 million children in school.
President Hichilema urged African nations to “change the narrative” regarding international financial institutions.
“We must construct our own recovery programmes and ask the IMF to support us,” he said. “Those programmes should be about growth—not just fiscal consolidation and macro stability.”
Turning to regional integration, the President called for the development of shared value chains around logistics and beneficiation, moving beyond the traditional “pit-to-port” model.
“Whether it is the Tazara Railway or the Lobito Corridor, we need to focus not just on transport, but on what we are transporting,” he emphasised. “Mining is about empowerment, equity, and shared prosperity. Let us use it to unlock Africa’s promise of better opportunities for the young people of our continent.”
Earlier, South African Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, reinforced the call for collective action, stating: “Trade unionists understand that workers cannot negotiate alone. The same applies to Africa. We must negotiate mining and beneficiation deals with the rest of the world as a single economy.”
The 32nd edition of Investing in African Mining Indaba continues until 12 February, bringing together governments, mining companies, and investors from across the global mining value chain.
For Zambia, the message is clear: the future is copper, the strategy is partnership, and the time for Africa is now.
ENDS
