Zambia agrees to hand disputed copper assets back to Vedanta
Zambia has agreed to return control of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to Vedanta Resources, mines minister Paul Kabuswe said on Tuesday, ending a row over the ownership of the assets that erupted in 2019 when authorities seized the mines.
The government, which owns a 20% stake in KCM through ZCCM-IH, will allow Vedanta to resume control and operate KCM's mines and smelter after the company renewed a pledge to invest more than $1.2 billion to increase output and repay outstanding debts, Kabuswe said.
A shareholders' agreement is being reworked to make the commitments from both shareholders legally binding, Kabuswe added. The legal details of the agreement and reinstatement of the KCM board, would be finalised within the next three months, the minister said.
Ties between Zambia and Vedanta, owned by billionaire Anil Agarwal, soured after former President Edgar Lungu's government orchestrated the seizure of the KCM assets and forced liquidation in May 2019, accusing the Indian company of failing to meet plans to invest in increasing mining output.
The forced takeover nearly paralysed operations at the KCM and triggered protracted battles, with Vedanta mounting legal battles including approaching an arbitration court in London to recover the copper assets.
«It is not a secret that the asset has deteriorated a great deal and the production output has substantially reduced,» Kabuswe told journalists in Lusaka.
«This is a very sad development for a national strategic asset of the country.»
The agreement was reached amicably after both parties abandoned court challenges in favour of negotiations. The deal could signal that Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema is meeting some of his targets to scale down the state's involvement in the
