Zambia

Chinese government officials are promoting open-source AI models at the United Nations’ AI for Good summit, contrasting them with restrictive and expensive U.S. models. They argue these tools benefit lower-income countries and are working with allies like Russia, Pakistan, Zambia, and the Maldives to shape global AI governance.

Zambia is approaching its 2026 general election, with the contest increasingly viewed as a national assessment of performance, expectations, and credibility. The election is described as a test of political reality rather than a clash of ideologies.

KoBold Metals, supported by Bill Gates and Sam Altman, has started construction on Zambia's largest copper mine. The project is positioned as a major development in the region's mining sector.

Zambians are set to vote in August with jobs and rising living costs as primary concerns. The election outcome could influence global competition for critical minerals and reshape Zambia's relationships with China and the US.

A South African court has ruled in favor of Edgar Lungu's family regarding his burial. The legal battle over the former Zambian president's burial may now be resolved.

Vitol secured an emergency fuel supply deal in Zambia, which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has questioned. The article references infrastructure at a gas storage facility, including pipework and valve wheels.

The HIV drug Lenacapavir, offering over 99% protection and administered twice yearly, is set for mass rollout in Southern Africa. The treatment has been approved after years of research and will be distributed across South Africa, Zambia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Mozambique.

The article discusses concerns that Zambia's 2026 elections may be influenced by legal maneuvers rather than voter choices. It highlights the potential risk of voters perceiving the election outcome as a result of legal strategies instead of democratic voting processes.

The article raises concerns that Zambian voters may perceive the August 2026 election outcome as influenced by legal strategies rather than actual voting. It questions whether Zambia's democratic progress is deteriorating.

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama discussed the financial and health challenges faced by his country after the closure of USAID, which previously provided $154 million annually, with nearly half allocated to health systems. The article highlights tensions over U.S. global health policies requiring data sharing, resistance from some African nations, and the impact of aid cuts on crises like the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.

Zambia's government canceled the RightsCon 2026 conference, which was to be hosted in sub-Saharan Africa for the first time, citing administrative and security concerns. Access Now, the host organization, suggested the cancellation was due to foreign interference, particularly from China, and demands to moderate human rights topics. The decision reflects a broader decline toward authoritarianism in Zambia, despite U.S. support for its democratic reforms under President Hakainde Hichilema.

Abu Dhabi’s IRH has rejected a waiver for Zambian copper concentrate. The decision relates to operations at a copper refinery in Mufulira, Zambia.

Morgan Stanley anticipates Zambia increasing the price of its Eurobond to resolve a stalemate. The article references a market in Lusaka, Zambia, but focuses on financial developments.

Africa's trade with China reached $275 billion in 2024, with China importing critical minerals like chromium, manganese, and lithium essential for electric vehicles and clean energy. However, declining Chinese infrastructure loans and rising debt servicing costs, with some African nations spending over 40% of public revenue on repayments, create fiscal strain. China's recent removal of tariffs on most African nations contrasts with U.S. tariff increases.

Barrick Mining is considering a London listing for its Africa business and an all-share $30 billion transaction with Endeavour. The company aims to divest riskier African assets, including operations in Mali and DR Congo, where it recently resolved a dispute with the Malian government over a new mining code.

Vedanta's unit plans an IPO in New York to fund copper mines in Zambia. The Nchanga copper mine, operated by Konkola Copper Mines Plc, is located in Chingola, Zambia.

Zambia is preparing for discussions with bondholders who are blocking the country's debt buyback efforts. The negotiations aim to resolve the standoff over the proposed debt restructuring.

Zambia canceled RightsCon, a major human rights summit, citing 'national values' and 'public interest,' with organizers attributing the move to Chinese pressure over Taiwanese participants. The article highlights China's deep economic influence in Zambia, particularly in copper mining, energy infrastructure, and healthcare, which has created structural dependencies.

A creditor group in Zambia is resisting a $1.36 billion bond buyback initiative. The situation involves traders at a market in Lusaka, Zambia.

In Kabwe, Zambia, thousands of people face extreme lead pollution caused by decades of mining activity and toxic waste. The contaminated soil has led to lead poisoning in children, resulting in severe health consequences.

Zambia's bonds increased in value following the initiation of a 2053 debt buyback tender. The event is linked to financial activity in Lusaka, Zambia.

Kabwe, a city in Zambia located 150 kilometers north of Lusaka, is among the world's most polluted places due to decades of lead and zinc mining. Blood tests on two children confirmed severe lead contamination in the area.

Zambia’s state-controlled mining investment company, ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc, agreed to sell a majority stake in a lime and cement venture to a privately held Chinese company. The deal marks a strategic partnership in the mining and construction materials sector.

RightsCon 2026, a major human rights conference, was canceled after China pressured the Zambian government, which was the intended host. The event was scheduled to take place in May but was scrapped due to geopolitical influence.

Zambia has formed a gold venture to formalize mining and build processing. The goal is to improve the mining industry in Zambia. This move aims to bring order and structure to the sector.

Zambia is expected to have a record corn harvest, which may bring gains and risks. A farmer in Chibombo, Zambia, is managing irrigation in a corn field. This could impact the country's agricultural industry.

The US aid-for-minerals strategy under the Trump administration has become controversial, with critics arguing it represents a more explicit articulation of longstanding practice rather than a novel approach. African governments are exercising caution and negotiating power, with Zambia recently opposing US attempts to tie health funding to critical mineral access, while competitors like China offer alternative partnerships.

Scientists have discovered a new tectonic boundary forming in Zambia, which suggests that the African continent could eventually split into two parts. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the Earth's geology. The formation of this boundary is a gradual process that will take millions of years to complete.

Zambia canceled the Rights Con conference, a major digital rights gathering, due to alleged Chinese pressure. The event was supposed to take place this week. Organizers blame China for the cancellation.

The Zambian government is delaying deals with the US due to concerns over strategic autonomy and demands for minerals and data. The government is seeking partnerships rather than aid. This move is driven by a desire to maintain control over the country's resources.

RightsCon 2026, the world's largest digital human rights conference, was cancelled in Zambia days before it was scheduled to begin, allegedly due to Chinese pressure on the Zambian government. Access Now, the organizing group, was told to moderate specific topics and exclude Taiwanese participants, conditions they deemed unacceptable and contrary to their mission. The cancellation highlights concerns about transnational repression and shrinking spaces for civil society activism in the Global South.

Zambia's government canceled the RightsCon 2026 summit, the world's largest human rights and technology conference, citing misalignment with 'national values.' The event was scheduled for May 5-8 in Lusaka but was blocked by officials from the Ministry of Information & Media.

RightsCon 2026 will not be held in Zambia as announced by the organization. The decision follows a statement from RightsCon explaining the reasons for the change in location.

Zambia has canceled the Global Digital Freedoms Conference days before its scheduled start, with the Minister of Technology and Science citing incomplete security clearances and government concerns about the event's 'dialogue.'

Zambia must decide by April 30 whether to grant American businesses preferential access to its minerals. The decision raises questions about a potential trade-off between mineral resources and humanitarian aid.

Zambia, a nation founded on pan-African principles, is grappling with reports of racism as some black citizens claim to feel like second-class citizens, according to the BBC. The issue challenges the country's commitment to equality.

Funders have committed $1.3 billion to a critical-minerals railway project in Zambia, aiming to boost the country's mineral transportation infrastructure. The investment highlights growing interest in Zambia's critical minerals and their role in global supply chains.

A South African court has ordered Zambia to return the remains of former president Edgar Lungu. The dispute involves Zambia authorities and Lungu's family over the burial location of the former leader.

Zambia's government and the family of former president Edgar Lungu are in a dispute over the burial location of his remains. The controversy centers on repatriation and final resting place decisions.

Zambia plans to build a refinery that will depend on road and rail transport for oil delivery. The project highlights infrastructure development in Lusaka, Zambia's capital. The focus on transportation methods underscores logistical challenges for the refinery's operations.