VZCZCXRO7546
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #1133/01 2780728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050728Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4999
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 001133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S AND EB/CBA - DENNIS WINSTEAD 
COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV BEXP EAIR ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA SEPTEMBER 2007 ECONOMIC ROUNDUP 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY 
-- ZAMBIA RECORDS SINGLE DIGIT INFLATION 
-- URANIUM MINING PROJECTS AWAIT GRZ POLICY FINALIZATION 
-- ZESCO PROPOSES ELECTRICITY PRICE HIKES 
-- KCM IMPORTS STATE-OF-THE ART SMELTER PLANT EQUIPMENT 
-- NEW TRI-NATIONAL JOINT VENTURE ESTABLISHED 
-- COMMERCIAL BANK LENDING RATES TOO HIGH FOR SME 
-- GRZ CONCERNED WITH WHEAT SHORTAGE 
 
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Zambia Records Single Digit Inflation 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. The year-on-year inflation rate fell to 9.3 percent in September, 
from 10.7 percent in August.  Zambia has not recorded single-digit 
inflation since January 2007.  Central Statistics Office Acting 
Director Efreda Chulu attributed the drop to reduced prices of food, 
clothing, medical care, transport, rent, and household energy. 
Chulu warned, however, that increases in petroleum prices may raise 
inflation rates once more. 
 
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Uranium Mining Projects Await GRZ Policy Finalization 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶3. At the Africa DownUnder Conference in Perth, Australia, in early 
September, Zambia's Mines Minister Kalombo Mwansa said that the GRZ 
had already issued several uranium prospecting licenses "to service 
some current activities" in southern Zambia.  His announcement 
contradicted former statements that the GRZ will not issue uranium 
mining licenses until a uranium policy is in place.  A number of 
uranium projects, such as the Kariba Uranium Project, Zambezi 
Resources and Lumwana Uranium Project have reportedly been moving 
forward, in spite of the lack of a GRZ policy.  Mwansa claimed that 
the GRZ's uranium policy will be released by the end of 2007, will 
be in line with International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines, and 
will offer incentives to encourage investment.  Note:  In the 1950s, 
a British company called Amco, operating out of Nkana Copper Mines 
(currently Mopani Copper Mines) in Kitwe, mined uranium, which was 
shipped to the United Kingdom.  Since then, the mineral has not been 
actively mined in Zambia.  End Note. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
ZESCO Proposes Electricity Price Hikes 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Zambia's state-owned power utility provider, ZESCO, has submitted 
a proposal to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to increase 
electricity rates by approximately 60 percent, starting in October 
2007, in order to obtain financial resources to rehabilitate and 
expands its power station infrastructure.  ZESCO also publicly 
announced the planned hikes in September, and the ERB requested 
public feedback in writing by October 3, for consideration at public 
meetings to debate the hikes.  Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium 
Business Association Executive Secretary Maxwell Sichula said the 
tariff will negatively impact its members.  Former Commerce Deputy 
Minister Eugene Appel also voiced concerns over the proposed hikes, 
claiming they would "create an uncompetitive business environment" 
for Zambian firms and be very hard on poorer consumers.  World Bank 
Resident Representative Kapil Kapoor was reported to have said that 
because the electricity rates in Zambia were among the lowest in the 
region, a rise was justified.  Energy consultant and former ERB 
Board Chairman Raphael Salasini also noted that unless (below cost) 
electricity rates are increased, the entire electricity sector "will 
collapse." 
 
¶5. Comment:  During the privatization of the Power Division, ZESCO 
entered into Bulk Supply Agreements with mining companies to charge 
tariffs below the cost of generating and supplying of power-at a 
time when prevailing copper prices were very low and the sector 
needed such help.  Copperbelt Energy Corporation is responsible for 
supplying power to mining companies but ZESCO hopes to review these 
power contracts.  In the past, ERB has responded--albeit 
conservatively--to ZESCO's pricing requests.  In 2003 and 2005, ERB 
approved price adjustments of 5.3 percent and 11 percent 
respectively (against ZESCO's application for rate increases of 16 
percent and 15 percent).  Despite the public outcry, ERB may be 
compelled to approve the latest request in order to meet increased 
future energy demands.  End Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
KCM Imports State-Of-The-Art Smelter Plant Equipment 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶6. Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has purchased flash smelting 
technology from the Finnish engineering company Outokumpu.  KCM's 
smelter, once operational in 2008, will be the largest in Africa, 
with a production capacity of 250,000 tons/year.  KCM, a subsidiary 
of Vedanta Resources, is currently the largest mining and metals 
 
LUSAKA 00001133  002 OF 002 
 
 
company in Zambia, with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons of 
copper.  Its expansion program for the Konkola deep mining project 
will provide access to 250 million tons of copper ore and extend the 
mine's life to 2035.  The Konkola deep mining project is the largest 
single investment in Zambia's mining history, costing USD 400 
million. 
 
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New Tri-National Joint Venture Established 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. The governments of South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have formed 
a tri-national joint venture called Pan African Minerals Development 
Company (PAMDC) to take over the mineral rights of a defunct 
colonial railway company, known as the Rhodesia Railway Corporation. 
 In 1980, ZIZA Limited, a company jointly owned by the governments 
of Zimbabwe and Zambia, inherited the mineral rights located in the 
Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces of South Africa.  ZIZA has 
placed its mineral rights, which cover 1.6 million hectares, under 
the stewardship of De Beers.  Patrick Bondai, a ZIZA Secretary, 
announced that PAMDC will be registered in Zimbabwe and Zambia and 
listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) "to raise money for 
exploration and development."  The concessions have potential for 
manganese, iron, coal, gold and platinum. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Commercial Bank Lending Rates Too High For SMEs 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶8. Central Bank Governor Caleb Fundanga observed that commercial 
banks' lending rates remain high despite positive achievements by 
the central bank in monetary and fiscal management.  He said small 
and medium enterprises, which are the engine for fostering economic 
development, are held back by high interest rates.  He appealed to 
commercial banks to provide more financial support for the growth 
and development of the economy.  He made his comments at the 
official opening of a new Standard Chartered Bank Branch at 
Crossroads Shopping Mall in Lusaka.  Speaking at the same occasion 
Standard Chartered Bank Board Chairman George Sokota said his bank 
had given K143 billion (USD 35 million) in private sector loans in 
the past 12 months. 
 
--------------------------------- 
GRZ Concerned With Wheat Shortage 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶9. Zambia's shortage of wheat and wheat products is impacting bread 
prices.  The GRZ held consultative meetings with stakeholders to 
identify possible causes for the shortage, including "illegal" wheat 
exports.  Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) Permanent 
Secretary Sam Mundia speculated that farmers use wheat export 
 
SIPDIS 
proceeds to pay off cooperative loans and other production costs. 
However, Zambia National Farmers Union Executive Director Songowayo 
Zyambo refuted allegations of illegal exports.  Earlier in 
September, Millers Association of Zambia Vice Chairman Peter Cottan 
advised the GRZ not to grant wheat export permits because of the 
wheat shortage.  MACO PermSec Mundia announced that the Government 
issued a ban on the export of wheat and wheat products, although it 
did not back up the announcement by implementing a necessary 
Statutory Instrument.  Note:  Zambia's annual wheat consumption is 
190,000 tons, whereas annual production is approximately 160,000 
tons.  The difference is imported from South Africa and Brazil. 
 
MARTINEZ