GOVERNMENT PARTNERS WITH MINING HOUSES TO DEVISE CONSISTENT SECTOR POLICIES- Cape town

By Brenda Zulu

GOVERNMENT says it is engaging mining companies to consider different options so that the two parties could come up with consistent and predictable policies for the mining sector.

And mining houses in Zambia have hailed the Zambian Government for its continued commitment to finding lasting solutions facing the sector.

In a Press Release, Gemfields Plc, 75% owners of Kagem Mine, and Vedanta Resources Plc, owners of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) have said that they appreciated the openness with which Government was approaching the various efforts that have been tabled so far in order for the parties to arrive at a mutually beneficial set of policies.

Minister Yaluma making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th February.

Vedanta Resources Plc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tom Albanese, said during a ‘Country Case Study’ on Zambia at the on-going Mining Conference in Cape Town today that his company was proud of what the negotiating team had achieved with the Zambian Government in getting round the challenges facing the sector.

He said KCM respected the “owners of the resources in Zambia” because they realised the pivotal role that the company played in the lives of Zambians.

Germfields Plc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ian Harebottle said his company had all the confidence in the Zambian Government which had continued making the country “an excellent investment destination.”

The two were part of a panel discussion which also comprised Zambia’s Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Mr. Christopher Yaluma, Deputy Finance Minister Mr. Christopher Mvunga and ZCCM-IH Holdings Chief Executive Officer Dr. Pius Kasolo. 

The session was also attended by Deputy Minister for Mines and Minerals Development Mr. Richard Musukwa, Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba, several multi-national mining investors, and business executives from various sectors.

And Mr. Albanese disclosed that KCM has made tremendous progress in repositioning itself in the last two years and could comfortably say that it was now able to withstand the current low copper prices.

“We are hopeful that there will be positive trends soon and the copper business will start coming round this year although this will not be in the range of 6 to US$8, 000 per tonne.”

He said Vedanta Resources understood the current problems, such as the energy shortage, that the Zambian Government was grappling with and would like to be part of the solutions.

On the developing consistent policies to guide the mining sector, Mr. Mvunga said Government was alive to the fact that mining was a long term investment for which owners needed to be able to plan ahead without difficulties.

“We are in constant dialogue with the mines to arrive at a consistent and predictable tax regime. We realise that there is need for a certain form of certainty as these are long term investments,” he said.

Mr. Mvunga said Government, just like many other players in the sector, realised that mining had moments of “troughs and crests”. He said Government was glad that there was still a show of optimism from the mining houses themselves.

He reminded mining companies to look at the ‘Remission rule’ governing the operations of mines in Zambia so that they could put it to use in troubled times as the current scenario.

Dr. Kasolo pointed out that trends in the mining business were of cyclical nature and that these occurrences were beyond the control of any government. 

And responding to a question from the audience, Mr. Yaluma assured the mining sector that Government was not considering reintroduction of the Windfall Tax until such a time when conditions dictated so.

Mr. Yaluma said Zambia had been through a period of depressed metal prices and that Government was confident that the country would emerge out of the current one victoriously.

He said Government, the industry and all other stakeholders had their roles to play in order to reverse the downturn.

The Minister told the audience that in order to ensure growth and sustainability of the mining industry during all financial scenarios, a clear and articulate policy that sought to create a competitive, thriving and sustainable mining industry had been adopted.

Mr. Yaluma noted that Government had also adopted the revised Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015 which was enacted to bring the law in line with international best practices.

The new law addresses among other things; the unnecessary bureaucracy in the issuance of mining rights; inadequate tenure of mineral processing licences; Mineral royalty rates, and promoting good governance, transparency, adherence to the rule of law and regular dialogue with stakeholders.

Let’s empower women to fight cervical cancer – Kasese-Bota

By Brenda Zulu

Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Her Excellency Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota has called for concerted efforts to empower women with knowledge and skills to protect themselves against cervical cancer.

In a Press Release,Ambassador Kasese-Bota said this in a statement read on her behalf by Zambia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ms. Christine Kalamwina, during an event organized by Missions of Zambia and US to the UN, and ‘Every Woman Every Child’ to mark World Cancer Day at UN HQ in New York.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare Permanent Secretary Dr Davy M. Chikamata delivering Zambia’s national statement at the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development at UN HQ in New York on 5 February 2016. With him is Zambia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ms. Christine Kalamwina, his Ministry’s Director of Planning Mr. Simmy Chapula and First Secretary (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs) Mrs Hellen Chifwaila. PHOTO | CHIBAULA D. SILWAMBA | ZAMBIA UN MISSION

Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota said efforts must be made to increase screening opportunities, early recognition of signs of cervical cancer and ensuring that healthcare was sought without delay for the affected women.

She called for increase in the vaccination of young girls to prevent infection with the human papilloma virus, which is the main cause of cervical cancer.

“The growing cancer burden across the globe calls for the international community to remain committed to the World Cancer Declaration, which outlines the steps needed to reverse the global cancer crisis by 2020,” Ambassador Kasese-Bota said. “There is need for the global community to allocate adequate human, financial and other resources towards the management of cervical cancer, especially in the developing world.”

She said there was urgent need for national governments to consider allocating adequate financial resources to ensure that early detection, treatment and regular follow-up of cervical cancer was made available to all women.

“Recently inherited statistics show that Zambia has the second highest rates of Cervical Cancer in the world and is the second most common cancer among women. According to the estimates by the World Health Organisation an estimated number of 1300 women die of cervical cancer out of the 1900 diagnosed each year, despite the fact that Cervical Cancer can be treated, if diagnosed early,” Kasese-Bota said. 

She said the Zambian Government has been very responsive to fight cervical cancer, as evidenced through the implementation of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Programme in collaboration with development partners like the US Government.

“These Free Cervical Cancer Screening Clinics are located in all the 10 provinces of Zambia,” said Ambassador Kasese-Bota. “The Zambian Government has also partnered with the US Government and the George W. Bush Institute to launch the Pink Red/Red Ribbon Campaign which builds on existing healthcare programme to integrate Cervical Cancer prevention.”

Approximately 86 per cent of all cervical cancer cases occur in developing countries. For Sub-Saharan Africa, Cervical Cancer is the most common cancer among women, where at least 35 cases are diagnosed for every 100, 000 women.