President Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia will learn from Ghana’s experience in managing its gold sector following private talks with Ghanaian President John Mahama.
President Hichilema made the remarks after the two leaders held closed-door discussions and later chaired a bilateral meeting at State House, followed by another private session with the Ghanaian delegation.
During the bilateral meeting, President Hichilema said the discussions focused on matters of strategic importance to both countries, particularly mining and gold.
He said Zambia intends to study Ghana’s management of large-scale, small-scale and artisanal mining to avoid repeating challenges faced in the West African country.
“We need to work together not just as presidents, but as businesses for our people. We want to build on the work that Ghana has already invested in, which is relevant to us, and learn how to deal with other important issues,” President Hichilema said.
He added that President Mahama shared insights into Ghana’s economic restructuring, including reforms related to fiscal discipline and the rule of law.
President Hichilema reiterated that Zambia’s mineral resources should benefit citizens rather than illegal mining activities.
President Mahama said both countries face similar challenges in the mining sector and agreed to share experiences.
“We discussed issues to do with the mining industry because both of us have mining sectors facing the same challenges. We talked about artisanal mining, small-scale mining and large multinational operations, and how we can share experiences,” President Mahama said.
He added that the leaders also discussed agriculture and agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation.
Reports from Ghanaian media indicate that Ghana reformed its gold sector between 2021 and 2025, increasing gold reserves from eight tonnes in 2023 to about 35 tonnes by 2025. The reforms reportedly strengthened foreign exchange reserves, stabilised the currency and generated about US$5 billion through increased state ownership and control in the subsector.
Meanwhile, President Mahama addressed Zambia’s Parliament, urging African countries to pursue economic independence and redefine development strategies.
“We must win the economic fight for economic transformation and prosperity for our people. Africa must redefine its development trajectory. Too many African countries remain trapped in what I described as triple dependency — dependency on external actors for security choices, dependency on donors for health and education systems and dependency on supplies of critical minerals,” he said.
He said such conditions weaken sovereignty and called on African countries to take greater control of their economic futures.
President Mahama’s three-day State Visit ends today, with Zambia and Ghana expected to sign eight memoranda of understanding covering mining, agriculture and other areas of cooperation.
