Zambia’s Ambassador to Japan, Tobias Mulimbika, says the country remains committed to value addition in the mining sector as a central pillar of its economic transformation agenda.
Dr Mulimbika said Government is prioritising mineral processing and downstream manufacturing to promote industrialisation, create employment and increase participation in regional and global value chains.
He made the remarks during a courtesy call by Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Japan, at the Zambian Mission in Tokyo.
Ambassador Mulimbika highlighted Zambia’s strategic geographic position as a land-linked country bordered by eight nations and its membership in regional economic blocs, providing access to a combined market of over 600 million people.
He underscored the role of key infrastructure corridors, including the Nacala, Dar es Salaam and Beira corridors, in facilitating trade, strengthening supply chains and unlocking investment opportunities in mining, agriculture, energy and other productive sectors.
Dr Mulimbika further outlined Zambia’s use of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an established model for delivering large-scale infrastructure projects under a defined legal and regulatory framework. He expressed readiness to engage Saudi investors in identified bankable projects aligned with Zambia’s development priorities.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Binzagr reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s interest in strengthening cooperation with Zambia in infrastructure, mining, agriculture, energy transition and health.
He emphasised the importance of optimising value chains to ensure mutual economic benefit, improving supply chain resilience and promoting transparent and sustainable partnerships. Ambassador Binzagr also pointed to opportunities in energy transition, including hydrogen development, and stressed the need for strategic alignment in long-term infrastructure planning.
The information is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary Press and Public Relations Faith Chilube at the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Tokyo, Japan.
