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13/10/2026

ZAMBIA ELECTED TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL FOR 2027-2029

Zambia has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2027–2029 term, a significant milestone in the country’s multilateral diplomacy.

The vote took place on 13 October 2026 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, during the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the seat gives Zambia the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the global human rights agenda. It will also allow Zambia to strengthen international cooperation and advance human dignity, equality, justice, democracy and the rule of law.

The Ministry said Zambia’s commitment to human rights is reflected in recent national reforms. These include the abolition of the death penalty, stronger protections for women, children and persons with disabilities, and wider access to education and social support programmes.

The election also reinforces President Hakainde Hichilema’s Grow Zambia Agenda, which places people at the centre of development. The agenda recognises that economic progress must go hand in hand with the protection of fundamental rights, inclusive opportunities and improved livelihoods.

During its term, Zambia will work to build dialogue and consensus among Member States. It will also champion the rights of women, children and vulnerable groups, advance the right to development, and strengthen the links between human rights, climate resilience and sustainable development.

Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Mulambo Haimbe thanked all UN Member States that supported Zambia’s candidature. He said the Government looks forward to working with the international community to advance dignity, equality, justice and respect for human rights for all.

13/10/2026

ZAMBIA REMOVED FROM WHO HEALTH WORKFORCE

Zambia has been removed from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) health workforce safeguards red list. The list discourages active international recruitment from countries with low health worker density and low universal health coverage.

In a technical update in March 2026, the WHO cut the list from 55 countries to 36. It said the reduction was mainly due to improvements in the Universal Health Coverage Service Coverage Index, which tracks 14 indicators across reproductive and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity.

The change follows a sustained recruitment drive under President Hakainde Hichilema, whose administration has hired more than 18,000 health workers since August 2021, beginning with 11,276 in 2022. The 2026 national budget provides for a further 2,500 health worker posts. Government has also built 66 new health facilities and 75 maternity annexes since 2022, and says the availability of essential medicines has risen from 35% to 87%.

Recruitment is set to speed up under the five-year, USD 2.49 billion health cooperation agreement that Zambia and the United States signed in Lusaka on 9 October. The United States will contribute USD 1.52 billion and Zambia USD 975 million.

Health Minister Roma Chilengi said the agreement will fund the recruitment of 40,000 health workers, made up of 15,000 frontline workers and 25,000 community health workers. It will also secure HIV, tuberculosis and malaria medicines and support local procurement and digital health systems. He added that the pact contains no clauses that compromise Zambia’s security through data sharing.

12/10/2026

ZCCM-IH PAYS K183 MILLION DIVIDEND TO SHAREHOLDERS

Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) has paid shareholders about K183 million in dividends for the 2025 financial year. It is the company’s 11th consecutive annual payout, and takes the total returned to shareholders since 2015 to about K2.4 billion.

Speaking at the dividend cheque handover in Lusaka, board chairperson Phesto Musonda said investment income rose 40 percent in 2025 on the back of earnings from mining and energy. The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) received K110 million, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning K32 million and the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) K27 million. The remaining K14 million went to about 5,000 other shareholders in Zambia and abroad.

“Through volatile copper prices, drought, a pandemic and a national debt restructuring, this company has paid,” Musonda said.

Shareholders approved the final dividend of K1.13 per share at the Annual General Meeting on 11 September. Musonda said the payout was below last year’s record because the board had fully provided for a legacy legal matter, and because a stronger kwacha had reduced the local value of the company’s dollar-earning assets. Neither factor affected the cash its investments generated.

Kansanshi’s mineral royalties continued to support earnings, Maamba Energy paid its first dividend to ZCCM-IH, and Copperbelt Energy Corporation made a strong contribution. In April, the company settled its USD 150 million legacy debt to Glencore, and its market valuation has since passed USD 1 billion.

“These cheques are not paid from borrowing or from selling assets. They are paid from cash our investments earned,” Musonda said.

Permanent Secretary Mulele Mulele, representing Finance Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, said the dividends show that public investments can deliver tangible benefits for Zambians.

12/10/2026

MALAWI LAUNCHES ELEPHANT MONITORING OPERATION IN KASUNGU

Wildlife authorities have fitted new tracking collars to 20 elephants in Kasungu National Park.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW Malawi), with funding and technical support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), is conducting the operation alongside an aerial assessment of the park’s elephant population.

“The exercise is part of an ecological monitoring operation aimed at improving understanding of elephant movements across the landscape and supports IFAW Room to Roam approach of protecting and connecting the habitats elephants need to move safely and thrive,” said Bruce Sosola, IFAW Director Malawi.

“Tracking data helps DNPW monitor the elephants around the clock, providing conservationists with the information needed to support the long-term management and conservation of Kasungu National Park and the surrounding community areas”.

Twenty elephants received new or replacement tracking collars, while collars were removed from 11 others. Some collars fitted to the 11 elephants in 2022 had reached the end of their battery life or no longer fitted as well as the elephants have grown.

In the process, elephants are briefly immobilised by dart by a specialist team while collars are fitted, replaced or removed. Each animal is monitored until it has recovered and rejoined its herd.

The research team is led by Prof. Robert Guldemond of the University of Pretoria’s Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU), working with DNPW, IFAW and veterinary and technical partners, including Wildscapes and Mhuirich Aviation Services.

The fieldwork follows an assessment of Kasungu’s elephant population held earlier in the month.

Members of the public with questions should contact the Kasungu National Park office on +265999110781 or DNPW Headquarters on +26599921032

12/10/2026

HH HAILS MODDY'S VERDICT, CREDITS ZAMBIANS FOR DEBT RECOVERY

President Hakainde Hichilema has welcomed a new outlook from Moody’s Ratings projecting that Zambia, alongside Ethiopia, will record the largest reductions in government debt in sub-Saharan Africa.

The ratings agency also places Zambia among eight countries in the region with a positive outlook, a marked turnaround for a country that was in default in 2020.

Since the outlook was published, Zambia has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a new USD 1.472 billion Extended Credit Facility. The programme is intended to support the country’s shift from stabilisation to growth.

In a statement, President Hichilema credited the Zambian people for the progress.

“In 2020 Zambia was in default. Today one of the world’s leading ratings agencies says our debt is set to fall further than almost anywhere else in the region,” he said. “That is the result of hard choices, taken together, and of the patience and sacrifice of the Zambian people. This achievement belongs to them.”

The President described lower debt as the foundation of his Grow Zambia agenda, which aims to convert macroeconomic stability into jobs, investment and rising incomes in every province.

“Every kwacha freed from debt is a kwacha we can put to work for Zambians,” he said.

He cautioned, however, that the work is not finished, acknowledging that debt servicing costs remain a burden on the public purse.

“We are not complacent. The cost of servicing our debt remains too high, and that is why we will hold firmly to fiscal discipline under the new programme,” President Hichilema said. “We have restored stability. Now we are delivering growth.”

The Government says it will continue to work with the IMF, cooperating partners and investors to ensure that the gains of recent years are felt in the daily lives of all Zambians.

12/10/2026

MOODY’S: ZAMBIA SET FOR BIGGEST DEBT DROP IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Zambia is expected to record the biggest fall in government debt in sub-Saharan Africa in the coming months, according to Moody’s Ratings, a further boost to the country’s economic recovery.

In its latest outlook for the region, Moody’s named Zambia and Ethiopia as the countries set for the largest debt reductions, while Botswana and Gabon are expected to see the sharpest increases.

The projection comes just days after Zambia reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a new USD 1.47 billion Extended Credit Facility, designed to support the country’s shift from stabilisation to growth.

Moody’s also listed Zambia among eight countries in the region with a positive outlook, alongside South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana and the Republic of Congo.

The agency raised its overall outlook for sub-Saharan Africa to positive, citing reforms that have helped countries weather inflationary pressures, along with strong commodity prices and easier access to financing. It expects total government debt across the region to fall from 62.4% of GDP in 2025 to 56.6% in 2027.

The milestone marks a significant turnaround for Zambia, which defaulted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic before completing a lengthy debt restructuring under its previous IMF programme.

The Government has said the new IMF programme will anchor fiscal discipline and support the Grow Zambia Agenda, as it works to turn hard-won stability into lasting growth.

09/10/2026

IMF AND ZAMBIA REACH AGREEMENT ON NEW USD 1.47 BILLION PROGRAMME

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Zambian Government have reached a staff-level agreement on a new 36-month Extended Credit Facility worth USD 1.47 billion. The deal is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board.

The agreement follows an IMF mission to Lusaka from 29 September to 9 October, led by Mission Chief Edward Gemayel, who met President Hakainde Hichilema, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and Bank of Zambia Governor Denny Kalyalya.

The new programme will support Zambia’s budget and balance of payments needs, safeguard economic stability and debt sustainability, and advance stronger, private-sector-led growth.

Mr Gemayel said Zambia enters the programme “from a position of strength” following the successful completion of its previous IMF programme. The economy is projected to grow by 5.6% in 2026, driven by strong agriculture, mining and exports. Inflation has fallen to 6.1%, within the Bank of Zambia’s target range, and gross international reserves reached USD 6.1 billion in September.

The IMF noted that revenue fell short this year while spending rose, and welcomed the Government’s corrective measures. From 2027, the programme will focus on boosting domestic revenue, improving tax administration and strengthening debt management, while protecting priority social spending.

Building on the Grow Zambia Agenda, reforms will also focus on creating better jobs and higher incomes, strengthening governance and anti-corruption institutions, and improving transparency in mining licensing.

“The Fund looks forward to continuing its close partnership with Zambia in support of macroeconomic stability, debt sustainability, and inclusive growth,” Mr Gemayel said.

09/10/2026

PRESIDENT HICHILEMA OPENS FOURTEENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SETTING OUT THE GROW ZAMBIA AGENDA

President Hakainde Hichilema today officially opened the First Session of the Fourteenth National Assembly in Lusaka, setting out the Grow Zambia Agenda for his second term.

Accompanied by First Lady Mutinta Hichilema, the President was received at the National Assembly grounds with a ceremonial parade by the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Zambia Army, alongside the Salute Troop of the Zambia Army Artillery. He was accorded the Presidential Salute before inspecting the Guard of Honour.

Delivering his address under the theme “Grow Zambia: an agenda for inclusive growth and opportunity for every Zambian”, the President said the past five years had restored macroeconomic stability and laid a strong foundation for transformation. He noted that inflation had fallen from over 24% in August 2021 to 6.1% in September 2026, and that international reserves were at their highest level ever.

Over the next five years, the Government aims to more than double the size of the economy. Its priorities are growing the economy, connecting the nation, improving living standards, building an efficient public sector and financing the future.

The President set out ambitious annual targets, including 10 million tonnes of maize, 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation, 5 million international tourist arrivals, 3 million tonnes of copper and USD 1 billion in beef exports.

He also welcomed a more inclusive Parliament, with 20 more women, 15 more young people and five more persons with disabilities now serving as Members of Parliament.

“The future we seek cannot be delivered by the Government alone,” the President said, calling for unity, patriotism and hard work.

08/10/2026

ZAMBIA AND US SIGN FIVE-YEAR HEALTH MOU AND DATA SHARING AGREEMENT

Zambia and the United States have signed a five-year, USD 2.49 billion Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a Data Sharing Agreement to strengthen the country's health system and improve how health data is managed.

Under the 2026–2030 MOU, the United States, working with Congress, will provide more than USD 1.5 billion towards Zambia's priority health programmes. Zambia will increase its own health spending by USD 975 million over the same period.

Health Minister Professor Roma Chilengi said the agreement will support the recruitment of 40,000 health workers: 15,000 frontline staff and 25,000 community health workers.

US Chargé d'Affaires Mich Coker described the deal as a move away from the traditional donor-recipient model. He said it is a partnership built on Zambian leadership, ownership and shared accountability. It will help Zambia manage its own procurement of essential medicines, bring frontline health workers into the civil service, and expand the digital systems used to detect and respond to health threats.

Finance and National Planning Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane welcomed the resolution of the issues that had delayed the signing. He noted the long history of US support for Zambia's health sector.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe, SC, confirmed there is no link between the health MOU and Zambia's critical minerals, which are being handled separately on purpose.

Under the Data Sharing Agreement, no personally identifiable information will be exchanged. Only aggregated, de-identified programme data will be shared, and Zambia keeps ownership and control of its data under its own laws.

The funding will cover HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness.

07/10/2026

ZCCM-IH APPROVES USD 498 MILLION NCHANGA TAILINGS LEACH PLANT

ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) has approved a USD 498 million Tailings Leach Plant at Konkola Copper Mines' (KCM) Nchanga operation in Chingola.

The approval clears the way for KCM to go ahead with the project. On 17 September 2026, KCM signed a USD 498 million engineering, procurement and construction agreement with China NERIN Engineering Company Limited, which will deliver the plant on a turnkey basis, including commissioning, performance testing and training.

ZCCM-IH Corporate Affairs Manager Loisa Mbatha said KCM will fund the project from its own internally generated resources, with no capital contribution required from ZCCM-IH, which holds a 20.6% stake in the mine. The project also sits outside Vedanta Resources' initial USD 1 billion investment programme for KCM.

The plant will process an estimated 546 million tonnes of historical tailings from the TD5 dam at Nchanga, at an average copper grade of 0.54%. Handling around 53,500 tonnes of tailings a day, it is expected to be the largest tailings leach plant in Africa.

Using solvent extraction and electrowinning technology, with an expected copper recovery rate of about 74%, the facility should produce around 70,000 tonnes of LME Grade A copper cathode a year once fully operational. Construction is expected to take 24 months.

ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Kakenenwa Muyangwa said the project will allow Zambia to recover more copper from existing resources without new mining. He added that it will support Zambia's target of producing three million tonnes of copper a year by 2031, help KCM reach its goal of 300,000 tonnes annually, and boost export earnings.

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