Britain has agreed deals with Zambia on clean energy and critical minerals as UK's foreign minister James Cleverly ends a four-day visit to Africa to deepen ties.
The foreign ministry said Cleverly would agree to a UK-Zambia Green Growth Compact, aimed at generating 2.5 billion pounds ($3.17 billion) of British private sector investment in Zambia's mining, minerals, and renewable energy sectors alongside 500 million pounds of government-backed investments.
"The UK-Zambia Green Growth Compact and our landmark agreement on critical minerals will support investment between UK and Zambian businesses, creating jobs in both countries," Cleverly said.
Mineral-rich
Zambia is a major copper producer and also has deposits of critical minerals such as cobalt, manganese, and nickel. Last year, Britain emphasised the importance of diversifying its supply chains as a critical mineral strategy.
Cleverly will visit a copper mine in Zambia and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on critical minerals, which Britain said would "lay the foundation for further UK support for the responsible mining of copper, cobalt, and other metals essential to the global clean energy transition."
This comes as some experts express concerns over what they called the new 'scramble' for African resources and its implications on Africans.
The UK FM used the trip to seek to enhance Britain's sway in Africa, welcoming regional talks on the Niger crisis and announcing support for Nigeria's agriculture sector.
