ZAMBIA IS CRUCIAL IN GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS
…says Amb. Anthony Mukwita
From KBNtv-14.07.23
Zambia must take advantage of its massive mineral wealth to be a crucial player in the global geopolitical economy sphere says Ambassador Anthony Mukwita.
“As the wealthy west and China thirst for dumping fossil fuel in preference for cleaner energy via electric vehicles or EVs rise,” Ambassador Mukwita, an international relations analyst and expert said, “Zambia should place itself strategically so that it can make major gains in this geo economic race.”
Speaking on KBNtv´ s prime time show the ´Big Hour´ Mukwita said the southern African country must act now to benefit from its immense wealth in copper and cobalt as a top producer of the two minerals in Africa.
There´s no excuse for Zambia to be poor when its minerals are desired globally at prime prices said Mukwita.
“The West and China needs copper and cobalt, manganese lithium and other minerals which are plenty in Zambia its up to us to make good deals now as the EV industry heads for an over US$800 billion boom annually by 2030 according to industry experts,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
The author of a new book ´China in Africa the Zambia story,´ Mukwita also urged President Hakainde Hichilema to make haste and beat a path to Beijing to seek debt cancellation because deferment simply means postponing or transferring Zambia´s almost US$19 billion foreign debt to the future generation that are ten years old and younger today.
Of the entire foreign debt, Zambia owes China about US$6 billion.
“I personally support debt cancellation instead of debt postponement,” Mukwita said, “ when you postpone you simply move the burden to young people but the advantage though (of deferment) is that it gives us head room to breathe because you are not paying everything due per month or year but only part of it so the rest goes towards social responsibilities like buying drugs or chalk in schools.”
Ambassador Mukwita said Zambia must emulate other countries that are normalising or escalating relations with China because the Asian dragon is the future economic and military power, “the time to be good friends with China for Zambia is now.”
The author-diplomat cited an example of the United States which in the last one month dispatched foreign affairs boss Antony Blinken and finance or treasury chief Jennifer Yellen to Beijing to make peace with President Xi Jinping as “the signs of the times” to come.
“Its not only the US that recognises China´s rising power but we have seen President Emmanuel Macron of France beat a path to Beijing, President Lula da Silva of Brazil, the Prime Minister of India Modi and many more sending envoys,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
“I would urge Lusaka to seek the earliest appointment with Beijing as soon as possible and make hay while the sun shines,” Ambassador Mukwita said.
On the local scene, Ambassador Mukwita called for the breaking of the jinx of maintaining ´bad blood ‘among leaders once they vacate office saying the trend only saves to divide the nation although no one is above the law, unity is important.
“I am of the thought that other civil ways maybe a presidential enquiry commission that works quietly could help in future so that the dignity of Zambian presidents starting from Dr Kaunda, all his successors to President Hichilema and those after him can be maintained while the probing goes on,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
The full interview with host Paul Shingongo is available on the KBNtv Facebook page which is widely followed in Zambia and abroad.
Ambassador Mukwita´s new book that examines relations between China and Zambia, the US and the world is now available in Bookworld and Grey Matter around the country.
“The response for ´China in Africa, the Zambia Story´ has been overwhelming among universities and other high institutions of learning but more so on Amazon where it hoovers between top 100 to 500 African books out of a million since going live on 24th April,” Ambassador Mukwita said.
The author said the book also debunks the ´predatory´ tag or brush western media has consistently painted of China while it also exposes vices by Chinese companies in Zambia.
“It’s a must read for anyone with interest in geopolitics,” said Ambassador Mukwita who also encouraged readers to go to the book website and read some reviews by respected scribes such as Kellys Kaunda and Chapadongo Lungu, both former editors and award-winning writers.