President Tshisekedi To Arrive For Official Visit

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi is due to arrive in Zambia today for an official visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

During the visit, President Tshisikedi and President Hakainde Hichilema will oversee the singing of an official bilateral cooperation agreement aimed at promoting the production of electric batteries in Zambia and the DRC.

“The Zambia-DRC initiative is line with the country’s development aspirations to bring about a more diversified and industrialised economy which will contribute towards job creation and the improvement of the Zambian people’s livelihoods,” said the a statement from the ministry. 

The idea for a joint value chain for batteries was first discussed at the DRC-Africa Business Forum in November 2021, where President Hichilema was the keynote speaker. The heads of state agreed to launch a joint Zambia-DRC battery precursor initiative, in order to capitalise on the shift towards electric vehicles and more renewable forms of energy production.

The agreement, which is due to be signed later today, will set up a joint policy initiative and regulatory framework to oversee the development of the battery value chain in both countries.

Between them, Zambia and the DRC hold 70% of the world’s cobalt reserves, which is an important component of the batteries used to power electric cars. By creating a comprehensive value chain, the two countries hope to capitalise on the shift towards electric vehicles and secure a greater proportion of the profits for African businesses.