Railway deal and a toxic spill likely to top agenda as Chinese premier visits Zambia
Strategically important Tazara project will be the focus for Li Qiang in Lusaka, but he could also face fallout over copper mine pollution
In February, 50 million litres of acidic waste from a tailings dam run by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia and NCF Africa Mining – subsidiaries of Chinese state-owned firms – contaminated the Kafue River, near the city of Kitwe.
The disaster destroyed farmland and has prompted nearly 200 Zambian farmers to file an US$80 billion lawsuit against the companies, demanding compensation and long-term environmental remediation work.
Li’s visit also follows China’s agreement to provide US$1.4 billion to overhaul and run a dilapidated 1,860km (1,155-mile) railway that connects Zambia’s copper belt region to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean – a key alternative to South African ports.