President Hichilema agrees to reset Zambia’s relationship with Trafigura

President Hakainde Hichilema has agreed to reset the Republic of Zambia’s relationship with Trafigura, one of the world’s largest commodity trading and logistics companies, following a meeting at State House today.

The President welcomed a Trafigura delegation led by the company’s Chairman, Jeremy Weir.

In a statement addressed to fellow citizens after the meeting, President Hichilema said he had thanked Trafigura for its long-standing interest in Zambia and for the jobs it sustains in the country, not least through Puma Energy, Servara and its wider investments.

Both sides agreed that the relationship between Trafigura and the Republic of Zambia would be reset. The President described the aim as “a partnership that, above all, delivers for the Zambian people.”

Trafigura buys and finances copper, moves fuel and builds the logistics that connect producers to markets. President Hichilema said these were precisely the areas that would enable Zambia to reach three million tonnes of copper a year by 2031, secure reliable and affordable energy, and link the country to regional and global markets.

All three ambitions sit at the heart of the government’s Grow Zambia Agenda. The President signalled that Trafigura’s expertise in copper, fuel and logistics could play a direct role in delivering them in the years ahead.

“We look forward to a partnership that delivers more investment, more jobs and more opportunity for Zambian businesses,” President Hichilema said.