Professor Peter Chileshe, a seasoned mining expert and Senior Lecturer at the Copperbelt University’s School of Mines, has weighed in on Zambia’s ongoing debate: Should the nation continue its ambitious target to triple copper output to 3 million metric tonnes by 2031, or shift focus to value addition, which some experts say could increase copper revenues tenfold? In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Prof. Chileshe provided a nuanced perspective. He acknowledged the current realities, stating, “In the short term, we are trapped as commodity producers.” He explained that Zambia’s present economic structure heavily depends on exporting...
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