India's SAIL to increase coking coal supplies from Russia, Mozambique: Amarendu Prakash
President Edgar Lungu says he wants the 1200 megawatts coal powered project to be co-owned by Zambia and Mozambique constructed in that country’s Tete Province.
The Head of State said the power project which would be funded by the Africa Development Bank and Japan was a matter of priority.
The Head of State said he would in two months’ time meet his Mozambique counterpart, Fillipe Nyusi, to conclude discussions on the project which would be jointly owned by the two countries.
President Lungu also said Zambia would remain grateful to the support from Mozambique to help deal with the power shortage.
The Head of State said Zambia’s economy would have been negatively affected if Mozambique declined to supply power.
The Head of State said this when Mozambique Minister of Energy and Minerals Development, Pedro Couto, called on him at State House yesterday.
Zambia and Mozambique in March this year signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a coal fired power station in Mozambique.
Meanwhile, Mr. Couto said his government was grateful for the cooperation in the field of energy.
He said he was in Zambia on a special mission to deliver President Nyusi’s message.
And Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda further explained to journalists that Mr Couto was in the country to discuss the development of the 1200 megawatts coal powered project.
Mr Chanda said it was a joint project between Zambia and Mozambique and that the two countries had agreed that they would develop the power project together under the auspices of the Africa Development Bank with the support of the Japanese government.
“So the purpose of the special envoy is to come and discuss this matter between the two presidents as they meet early next month ahead of the Zambia International Trade Fair,” he said.
Mr Chanda said the two countries have agreed on the modalities of payments of the project.
Meanwhile, Mr Chanda said President Lungu would today travel to Luangwa district where he is going to commission a hospital, inspect developmental projects and in the afternoon address a public rally at Luangwa town.
“On Friday the President will travel back to Lufunsa where he will address a public rally in the afternoon. In the morning, he is going to meet the traditional rulers and other partners to look at maize marketing season and the distribution of farming inputs,” he said.
Mr Chanda said on Friday the Head of State would have another official engagement in Kafue at 12:00hrs where he would tour the Kafue steel plant and address a rally in the afternoon.
And Mr Chanda said the PF secretary General Mr Davis Chama would make an announcement of the President’s campaign programme rollout.
He said the programme had already been made and that all the preparations were in place.
Mr Chanda said the presidential campaign team was up and about the country and that the secretary general would make an announcement soon.
Zambia Daily Nation
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