ELECTRIC AVENUE
TBY talks to Hon. David Mabumba, Minister of Energy, on energy solutions, international cooperation, and nuclear development.
What is the significance of partnering with the private sector for the government's plan for energy development?
The government alone does not have the fiscal resources to invest large amounts of money directly into power solutions; therefore, it is vital to partner with the private sector, which has these resources and is adept at managing them. However, to bring these players on board we need to make sure the business environment is attractive enough, which is what the government is focusing on at the moment, with incentives and collaborations with the IMF and other global organizations. Many energy projects in this country have been made possible because of debt financing and grants from international partners. The budget we have raised for energy creation so far is around USD10 million. However, we estimate that to reach our target of 51% electricity penetration in rural areas we will need more than USD50 million per annum, and thus need to forge strong ties with external parties. Many of these, such as the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank, have been supportive so far, and we have successfully packaged some attractive and well-planned projects in exchange for grants and concession loans.
Can renewables revolutionize energy generation and access to energy in Zambia?
If we want to industrialize the country and meet our pledge to generate 1 million jobs for Zambian people, then we need sufficient direct supply of power. For this, we need to unlock potential in hydro, coal, and nuclear. Solar energy is a complement to this. While it cannot support large-scale industrialization, it can play a vital role in unlocking the potential of rural areas, which may be 10-20 years away from accessing energy through the national grid. Off-grid solutions have revolutionized life in these communities, where people can now use energy to open small businesses and access technology, putting them in touch with the rest of the world.
What is the importance of interregional collaboration in Africa's energy future?
Regional integration is key for the energy sector because African countries have different potentials, volumes, and levels of investment. For example, Zambia could capitalize on its historical relationship with South Africa and tap into its surplus power to mitigate the effects of our crisis. We could also look east, where countries like Ethiopia are bounding ahead in terms of power generation. We have launched some initiatives to encourage such connectivity. One such transmission line is the Zambia-Kenya-Tanzania transmission project (ZKT), which is expected to connect Zambia to the Ethiopian grid in the long run. The planned project to upgrade the Kafue-Livingstone transmission line to 220kV will bring power into Lusaka and Maamba, as well as other provinces, and will enable Zambia and its regional neighbors in the southeast to trade excess power. There is another transmission line between Zambia and Zimbabwe that is instrumental in allowing Escom to bring in much of the excess power generated in Zimbabwe, and we are also in talks with South Africa and Botswana for further possibilities opening here. Finally, we are developing transmission lines to Ethiopia and Tanzania, and hope that in 2017 we will have the financing to complete these projects.
What are the main goals moving forward for Zambia's nuclear development in the medium term?
Our first step will be to dispel the myths surrounding nuclear energy that make countries very cautious about bringing nuclear into the mix. And for this, we must encourage education and build capacity. I hope to have created a policy and institutional framework that will allow us to bring in developers within the next five years. Now, we will focus on our collaborations with Russia and China, though this is just a starting point to allow Zambia to set sail on its nuclear journey. We want to start thinking about international standards we should meet to commit to nuclear in the long term: how to manage waste, or the eventual decommissioning of facilities, among other issues.
ELECTRIC AVENUE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Year In Review
What A Year
Zambia has long been a bastion of stability in Southern Africa, and while its economy has been rocked in recent years by the falling value of copper prices, a devaluating kwacha, and high inflation, through the Economic Recovery Program the government has bold ambitions to right the ship.
read articleReview
Convoke, Confound & Collect
Squeezed between a rock and a rather hard place by the slowdown in Chinese demand for copper, by far Zambia's biggest export and government-revenue generator, President Lungu has been forced to get creative in his country's alliances to broaden revenue streams and lessen its dependence on the vagaries of one foreign market.
read articleGuest Speaker
Dr. Stergomena L. Tax, Executive Secretary, Southern African Development Community (SADC)
TBY talks to Dr. Stergomena L. Tax, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), on regional economic development, boosting pan-continental free trade agreements, and improving security through mutual development.
read articleInterview
Susan Sikaneta, Ambassador, Zambia to Ethiopia & Permanent Representative to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa
TBY talks to Susan Sikaneta, Ambassador of Zambia to Ethiopia & Permanent Representative to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa, on championing peace across the continent, advancing women's rights, and promoting Pan-Africanism.
read articleInterview
Sebastian C. Kopulande, CEO, Zambian International Trade & Investment Centre (ZITIC)
TBY talks to Sebastian C. Kopulande, CEO of Zambian International Trade & Investment Centre (ZITIC), on taming austerity, stimulating sustainable growth, and creating the framework to support entrepreneurship
read articleFocus: Zambia Plus
Adding it All Up
On October 20, 2016, at the 2017 Budget Address, Finance Minister Felix Mutati launched the government's economic recovery program, christened "Zambia Plus." The program is designed to spur domestic productivity, through strengthening ties and collaborating with external donors and developers.
read articleReview: Banking
Macroeconomics Rule the Roost
In its ongoing efforts to diversify away from one principal commodity, copper, the government fosters the development, standardization, and efficacy of the private sector. In doing so the systematic support of the financial universe, especially banks, is vital, as is the goal of financial inclusion.
read articleFocus: SME Growth
IMF support program
An IMF support program stands to provide Zambia with some much-needed discipline on its expenditure and operational efficiencies; however, many caution the need for Zambia to determine what it wants to achieve and how the program will benefit the country.
read articleInterview
Christabel M. Banda, Executive Director, Insurers Association of Zambia (IAZ)
TBY talks to Christabel M. Banda, Executive Director of Insurers Association of Zambia (IAZ), on the evolution of the local insurance landscape, raising awareness, and tackling challenges in the sector.
read articleFocus: Solar
Sunny Side Up
As power demand continues to rise and power production continues to fall behind, it's the same old story for Zambia, still wrestling with an ongoing energy crisis. Public- and private-sector drives are seeking to mitigate this deficit by activating the country's solar industry.
read articleInterview
Margaret K. Chalwe-Mudenda, Director General, Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA)
TBY talks to Margaret K. Chalwe-Mudenda, Director General of Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), on new projects, the ZNDC, and expectations for the year ahead.
read articleInterview
Hon. Dora Siliya, Minister, Agriculture
TBY talks to Hon. Dora Siliya, Minister of Agriculture, on the investments being made in agriculture to enable agricultural households, diversifying Zambia's basket of produce, and making international markets more accessible for local producers.
read articleInterview
Hon. Charles R. Banda, Minister, Tourism and Arts
TBY talks to Hon. Charles R. Banda, Minister of Tourism and Arts, on the wealth of tourism destinations within Zambia, efforts to bring more visitors to the country, and what the Tourism Development Fund will contribute to developments.
read article