Zambia invites Russian investors into fertiliser, irrigation and a 10,000-megawatt power expansion

Zambia has asked Russian companies to invest in fertiliser production, irrigation technology and a planned expansion of electricity generation to 10,000 megawatts, in a speech delivered at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mulambo Haimbe delivered the speech on behalf of President Hakainde Hichilema at the summit's plenary session. He said Zambia approaches the partnership with "openness, mutual respect and a focus on mutually beneficial economic cooperation" and linked the invitation to the Grow Zambia Agenda, which aims to double the economy within five years. Mr Haimbe said food and energy security are essential for healthy and productive people and industries. Zambia wants to become a regional food supplier by using its share of Southern Africa's water, which he put at about 40 percent. The production targets set out in the speech are 10 million tonnes of maize, 3 million tonnes of soybeans, 1 million tonnes of wheat and 1 million tonnes of sugar. On minerals, Mr Haimbe said Zambia is looking for partners to process critical minerals at home, with a target of 3 million tonnes of copper a year and opportunities in cobalt, manganese and lithium. He named the Lobito, Nacala and Walvis Bay corridors as key trade routes under the African Continental Free Trade Area. On climate, he said Zambia contributes less than 0.01 percent of global emissions yet faces serious climate risks, and pointed to the 2023/2024 drought, which affected more than nine million people. He called for more investment in preparedness. He also raised cooperation on artificial intelligence, including technology transfer, digital infrastructure, skills and AI systems for African languages, and called for reform of the global financial system and of the UN Security Council. ## Why it matters Fertiliser is one of the biggest costs for farmers, and most Zambian farmers work small plots and depend on government input schemes. More local fer