Gaborone: Botswana and Zambia have positioned themselves as pivotal partners in Africa's quest for mineral beneficiation, energy security, and regional industrialization, as leaders from both nations called for enhanced cooperation and long-term investment.
According to South African Government News Agency, the two countries made this announcement at Brand South Africa's Investing in Africa Mining Indaba Welcome Reception on Sunday night. Botswana's Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Bogolo Kenewendo, highlighted the country's deliberate shift from an extractive mining model towards industrialization, energy security, and regional value chains. She emphasized Botswana's strong foundation as a stable and transparent mining jurisdiction, which is now poised for growth driven by beneficiation, downstream manufacturing, and cross-border integration. Kenewendo called for partnerships focused on smelting, refining, fabrication, and regional supply, signaling Botswana's readiness to collaborate beyond mere exploration.
Kenewendo also stressed the importance of energy in industrialization, detailing Botswana's efforts to expand its power base through renewable energy, base-load generation, and cross-border power agreements within the Southern African Power Pool, including cooperation with Zambia, Namibia, and South Africa.
Mulumba Lwatula, Head of Investments: Mining and Energy at the Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia, supported the call for regional collaboration, emphasizing Africa's need to drive its development agenda by leveraging continental strengths. Lwatula described Zambia's strategic positioning as "land-linked" rather than landlocked, aiming to become a logistics and trade hub within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He discussed Zambia's mining sector reforms and efforts to create platforms for partnerships to expand copper production and support the global energy transition. Lwatula underscored the importance of regional cooperation, especially with South Africa's established mining expertise, to build human capital, scale production, and strengthen Africa's position in global value chains.