George Zulu
ANGOLA has expressed interest in becoming a major supplier of oil to Zambia following expansion of its oil refineries.
Angolan Minister of External Relations Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti said yesterday that the two countries should develop transport infrastructure to facilitate the movement of oil from that country to Zambia.
Dr Chikoti was speaking yesterday on arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport for a two-day visit.
Angola is developing a new oil refinery in Lobito and Lua borders, which would greatly enhance oil supply in that country and Zambia stands to greatly benefit from this.
The minister said there was need to improve the railway transport system between Zambia and Angola to facilitate for the transportation of oil between the two countries.
“We have a railway line from Angola up to DRC but there is hope for Zambia and Angola to discuss a shorter rail line to facilitate the transportation of oil so that Zambia can benefit,” Dr Chikoti said.
Hs was met at the airport by Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary George Zulu and some Angolan officials.
Dr Chikoti also said that his government would engage Angolan businesses on possibilities of purchasing agro products such as maize from Zambia.
He said this in response to an appeal by Mr Zulu for Angola to consider buying maize and other products from Zambia, which has in excess of three million tonnes of maize this year and requires a market.
But Dr Chikoti said the purchase of food in Angola had been left to the private sector and called for meetings between Zambia and the Angolan private sector.
There is need to have sustained production every year to avoid shortage of the commodity on the market once Angola starts buying maize from Zambia.
He was glad that agriculture in Zambia was growing very fast and that Angola’s open economy would greatly benefit from that sector.
“Zambia and Angola should also enhance energy supply and see how best the two countries could share power, especially in border areas. There is a lot we are anxious about and open to assist,” he said.
Mr Zulu said Zambia would continue to pursue the agenda of benefiting from the oil industry in Angola.
He said Angola should also consider getting its food from Zambia and not Brazil because the country had excess maize available for sale.
While in Zambia, Dr Chikoti is expected to meet President Michael Sata or Vice-President Guy Scott.
He is also expected to hold meetings with Commerce Trade and Industry,Transport and Communication, as well as Foreign Affairs ministers.
Dr Chikoti will also meet Angolan residents in Zambia.
George Zulu
The visiting Angola Minister was met by the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs! In diplomacy we call this a diplomatic incident. Why could he not be met by his counter part? If Kalaba was not available, another Cabinet Minister could have been assigned to stand in for him, or even a Deputy Minister would have been a better alternative. This is what happens when you allow a defunct President to continue leading the nation.
My Dear , the reason is simple. The PF government can’t allow this oil deal to go through. If it does. Sata and Kabimba’s oil company stand to lose. They have a massive cut in the oil deal with triafulgar. There is a lot at stake here for them. That is why PF is trivialising this visit
You’re on point Educated UPND. The ‘expressions of interest’ will remain just that; an ‘expression of interest’. Ba Angola wasted fuel coming here, poor chaps.
This can only happen if we start getting already processed fuel from them or we we make a new refinery. The type of crude oil Angola has cannot be processed by Indeni.
Bwana Mano Mambulwa, you are the one who has no idea of diplomacy. This guy is just a minister and to be met by the PS is more than appropriate. Even presidents are met by Ministers instead of the host president, that just means the incumbent has delegated.
A PS is a very senior official of a ministry who under normal circumstances is even more superior than ministers especially deputy ministers
“He said Angola should also consider getting its food from Zambia and not Brazil because the country had excess maize available for sale.”
IF FOOD MEAN MAIZE IN ZAMBIA, IT DOESN’T MEAN THE SAME EVERYWHERE. WHY DO ALL ZAMBIANS THINK AKBWALI MEANS FOOD? YOU SEE THIS IDEA OF NOT BEING DIVERSIFIED IN DISHES HAS BUT CORRUPTED THE MINDS OF MANY, A ZAMBIAN. I during the times of ‘real’ zambia national service, the instructor would on parade say, “those who eat rice come this side and those who eat food come this side”. FOOD MEANT NSHIMA.
@2 I MEANT TO SAY AKABWALI and not AKBWALI.
further still there are so many things Zambia could have been exporting to Angola including finished product copper product. According to the Angola’s 2011 Minerals Yearbook ************ Angola just recently started copper exploration. Why do Africans think they can only trade with white peoples’ countries and not encouraging trade amongst themselves- I mean African countries? Zambia up to this time just talks about developing agriculture when it could take advantage and formulate practical agriculture policies to feed at least Africa, if not the world. It’s a shame that Zambia let’s Angola import food stuff from Brazil. Why not produce more and develop food processing industry?
Please stop your rhetoric and pretense! It is true maize is food but not the only food and do not generalize the issue of ubwali. Your days are not the same with the new generation. Angola is importing maize from brazil so while not entice them to buy it near?
He is most likely to meet Vice President Guy Scott. Zambia has reached unprecedented levels of incoherence when it comes to presidency matters. As @Mano Mambulwa points out even the protocol of being met at the airport is in jeopardy; it might be convention but this is still unprecedented. What a mess!
It is a splendid idea. This should immediately be prioritized; the economic benefits are huge for Zambia.
@ Mano Mabumba; a valid observation you have made on the lapse of protocols regarding receiving of foreign dignitaries. It is indeed a serious breach on the part of our government to send a junior officer to meet a foreign Minister. Hope it wont happen again.
This ‘Splendid Idea’ was part of PF’s campaign message. They pledged that once in power they would source oil from Angola because it was cheaper. As you may well know, that never happened and the reason is simple; kickbacks. Bene Sata and friends benefit directly from maintaining the current source of oil and that is why this Angola thing will never happen. Donchi Kubeba dude.
There should have been a direct rail line from Lusaka through Mongu right up to Lobito/Benguela long before now. Angola is awash with money which they spend on imported foodstuffs from overseas. Zambia could have been cashing in on this bonanza supplying all kinds of food by now. Zambia is surrounded by two nations, Angola and DRC, all of them with fistfuls of money and they want to spend it on food which Zambia can amply supply. Amazingly this unbelievable opportunity passes by Zambia unnoticed. The focus is only on copper and not agricultural production.
Very sensible comment Wantanshi.
@Wantanshi, Yes, a very good comment. This is what we should spend more time debating on as mature and functioning adults.
You are absolutely right – what a missed opportunity. My worry is that Angola is looking for new markets for its oil because the biggest importer of their crude , America has reduced oil imports due to increased local production from hydraulic fracking .
We have always been around the block, but we never mattered when the dollar was freely flowing1
That would render Tazama Pipelines and Indeni Refineries redundant. But it would also mean cheaper white petroleum products for Zambia. Zambia would not import crude oil from Angola but finished products that would land in Zambia cheaper than the refined products at Indeni. So the earlier the MOU’s, which were discussed between our Yaluma and his Angolan counter part on 18th May in 2013, are signed the better for the country. There is urgent need to create direct road and railway links between Zambia and Angola.
Problem is we are ruled by “Belly Politicians” so even if the Angolan oil is of a Superior quality, & cheaper our Politicians, will be thinking with their Corrupt Bellies & not their Brains, & so unless the Angolans promise them ” Something” they are likely to turn down this opportunity, & instead do a “Trafigura” on us, thereby Zambian’s being the losers, & the Bellies in Government benefiting. We then wonder why Most of Africa is a Basket Case?
Angolan oil is not compatible with Zambia’s oil systems like indeni refinery and its pipelines which were meant for arab oil with less sulphur content.You can’t sell us Angolan pollution to cement African ties and ruin our health.
Imwe’ Baba, if You are talking about pollution, look no further than the Mines on the Copperbelt
While our refinery cannot refine the Angolan crude oil because our refinery is basic and costly as it is configured to refine semi processed oil, Zambia can be benefit from the refined products from Angola as they would be cheaper on the Zambian market because of the distance from the refineries in Angola to the market in Zambia. The Angolan white products would be cheaper than the Zambian refined products because of the different refining processes. The Zambian refinery is basic as it lacks the hydro-cracker to process the heavy crude oil. The crude oil for Indeni refinery is a mixture of refined products and crude oil. It is actually a very expensive process we have in Zambia. We are better off to bring in white products.
@tumbuka pride, DO YOU REALLY RESIDE IN USA WITH THAT THINKING? I WONDER WHY ZAMBIANS EVEN IF EXPOSED ARE SO SHALLOW IN THINKING. TUMBUKA WHATEVER DOESN’T SEE BEYOND INDENI OIL PROCESSING. MY DEAR, THE IDEA IS TO CONSTRUCT ANOTHER OIL PROCESSING PLANT IN MONGU OR SOLWEZI. BUYING CRUDE OIL HAS SO MANY BENEFITS INCLUDING AND NOT RESTRICTED TO: PLASTICS FOR TOES, CHAIRS, UNDERGROUND/OVERGROUND WATER/GAS PIPES, TAR, FUEL ITSELF AND MANY MORE. ALL YOU NEED IS A STRONG POLICY TO DEVELOP ALL THESE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES AND EVEN START EXPORTING TO ANGOLA ITSELF LIKE WE FOOLISHLY IMPORT FINISHED COPPER PRODUCTS.
LT FOR SOME REASON DOES NOT LIKE INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS. I HAVE TRIED TO RATIONALLY CONTRIBUTE TWO ISSUES OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE TO BOTH ZAMBIA AND ANGOLA BUT ALL MY POSTAGE HAVE GONE DOWN LT’S DRAIN. WHAT A SHAME! AND I KNOW FOR SURE THIS COMPLAINT WILL SUCCESSFULLY BE POSTED.
From afar this sounds good in terms of development. But as Tumbuka Pride says, I’ve heard of this compatibilty issue between the type of oil we currently process from other sources and this Angolan oil. Enlighten us, does this mean we will have to set up new infrastructure to process Angolan oil? Angola is just across the border and this would mean lower fuel prices in the long run, that’s something we need. All these good developments coming to life only under the able leadership of MC Sata and the PF.
Refer to contribution at 8.2
Sata touted this nonsense during campaigns naimwe ba Kudos. He stated that once PF was in power, they would get oil from Angola. Where were you? As for the compatibility thingy refer to Mano Mabulwa’s comment. Ati ‘able leadership of MC Sata’ LOL!
SATA ba Kaamba!
Ba Chikoti baku myesu
Ths good news for Zambia. Ths is wht we need……these Europeans they are taking OUR AFRICAN OIL.
Let get united as a continent.
@Anderson, good. Thats the spirit that rekindles ‘hope’ in people.
I think fyabupuba alelanda,since independence bushe tatwaishiba ati kwaliba oil ku Angola?Another topic please.He must buy our maize,directly from farmers to avoid confusion
@Mano Mambulwa, the issue should not be to render companies redundant, bt being level headed when analsing offers. The Govt and Partners should put a bigger Refinery some where in Northwestern or Up grade and raise the Production capacity for Indeni to Handle Angolan stuff by the way Indeni and Tazama already has Infrastructure which we can’t just abandon. A pipeline can be laid from Angola to N/W or C/B to feed the Refineries with raw crude .This would create. Emplyement for majority of our graduates who are hopeless.Angola will create employment for its citizenly when they export Finished products to us while we continue being a consumer nation.Its cheaper to buy raw crude than Finished products asthere aby products that u can get from a raw material.Political is vital in this area.
Calmly read my comments and make an effort to understand what I have said and then draw conclusions. Do not rush to condemn.
@ Peter(9) spot on.We have to industrialise to develop this country.
Its something worthy exploiting The fixed costs in refining at indeni can be a contribution to a new more technically efficient methods with reduced in costs of fuel per barrel
Looking at Commodity trades, China has become the large importer of cheaper fuel from Angola benefiting massively that Zambia has seen but like little attention is paid to consummate the investments
Now with contracts signed on future deliveries, Zambia has to tap the potential and wheel most of in across the regions taking advantage of its landlocked neighbours on the other side and profiting from the Angola’s unique product
Chikoti, met dozens of Chikotis around. So who is from where?
dude hommo, I don’t know where you get the insinuation that I wasn’t there to hear His Excellency MCS articulating this wise alternative for oil sources for our great nation, Zambia. “Sata touted this nonsense”? Is it nonsense to get petroleum from Angola or any nearer source? in your warped gay mind, all economists and great thinkers who propose for more sustainable oil sources closer to home, are proposing nonsense? Your clear hatred for Sata makes you utter incoherent and contradictory statements. Mano Mambulwa I see the logic in importation of “white petroleum products” thanks.
Why do we fail to be proactive as a country? This same govt refused exporters to export maize and maize products and now they turn around and say their is excess maize? next it will be importing maize after selling to Angola just wait and see…
There is cheap money , resource driven from Angola which those of you with opportunities can find time to forge initiatives with Angola’s cash rich to have a spill over in infrastructural spend
This opportunity is bigger than oil itself Cheap money for investments opportunity with chikoti there others in Namibia and SA including US are tapping in to invest in estates and other ventures
Its cheap and excess money from resources perhaps second to China with little use for it
When you look at yearly cost of fuel in relation to copper earning a significant amount is being spent with a net cash flow of negative as a result ,yearly
The comparison can be made in relation to other revenue lines ,against the crude
We need to support nearer and cheaper sources like Angola, at the same time continue like Botswana and Malawi spending a bit on exploration to see what positive potential there is in Zambia to save much or earn much
Its clear we spending a significant proportion of most of the earnings from copper and other on fuel that calls for rethink to save much when others are moving towards sourcing fuels from local continent
There is a rethink and shake up in Saudi Arabia as a result of decisions in procurements and sourcing of fuels world wide with US and Africa being in focus particularly Angola and Nigeria
The gland entry of US in fuel exports has forced change in pricing structure and structure of marketing in Saudi Arabia
Its something interesting to learn follow through and see what value we can create
“‘Its my personal gift to Lusaka Times”‘
for general information, part of the oil that may be supply is looted fro D R Congo as Angola is the bully of the region and the Kasais have no say for the moment.ibut they keep reminding they are not only good musciens but day will come they may also be good boxers!
Angola has expanded its refinery plants and plans to export the end product and not crude oil.
Business men in near by towns like chavuma, Zambezi, Mongu should just start buying directly from Angola and resell in zambia. May even be viable business. Don’t wait for a sleepy government.