The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Yusif Sulemana, has pledged Ghana’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with Zambia in the mining sector during a courtesy visit by a high-level Zambian delegation to the Ministry.

Hon. Yusif Sulemana described the visit as a significant step toward deepening collaboration between the two countries through knowledge sharing, technical cooperation, and the exchange of best practices in sustainable mining and natural resource governance.

He underscored Ghana’s readiness to work closely with Zambia in advancing responsible mining, promoting mineral value addition, strengthening artisanal and small-scale mining formalisation, and enhancing policies that encourage greater local participation in the mining industry.

Hon. Sulemana further called for sustained collaboration beyond the current visit through regular technical exchanges between experts from both countries to support ongoing mining sector reforms and promote responsible natural resource management.

The Zambian delegation, led by the Permanent Secretary for Budget and Economic Affairs at Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Ms. Mwaka Mukubesa, explained that the visit followed recent bilateral engagements between President John Dramani Mahama and the President of Zambia, which underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in the extractive sector.

Ms. Mukubesa noted that Zambia is particularly interested in learning from Ghana’s experience in gold mining governance, artisanal and small-scale mining reforms, mineral value addition, and local content policies, all of which have contributed to strengthening Ghana’s mining sector.

The Zambian delegation also shared insights into key reforms being implemented in Zambia’s mining sector, including the introduction of new mining legislation, improvements to mineral licensing systems, the establishment of specialised institutions for geological surveys and small-scale mining, and macroeconomic reforms that have enhanced investor confidence and attracted increased foreign direct investment.

As part of the visit, the delegation is expected to engage with agencies under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to explore additional areas of cooperation and exchange experiences in mineral resource governance and sustainable mining practices.

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