Zambia at crucial climate ‘indaba’

must reduce the high mining taxes because they are injuring the emeralds sub-sector, Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Association of Zambia president Victor Kalesha has demanded.

Mr Kalesha said the high taxes were hindering the growth of the emeralds sector, saying that this was a source of concern.

He told the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday, Government should consider addressing the cries of the players in the sector.

Most players in the emerald sector were small-scale investors, Mr Kalesha said adding that the high taxes

ZAMBIA one of the countries represented at the conference of experts which opened in Bonn, Germany, yesterday under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). is

For the next 10 days the experts will engage in a wide range of events, including meetings and negotiation sessions that will set the stage for the raising of the ambition to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

This is according to a statement issued by first secretary for press and public relations at the Zambian Embassy in Berlin Kellys Kaunda.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Germany Anthony Mukwita said the Zambian delegation is composed of experts from various ministries and quasi-government organisations.

Mr Mukwita named the delegates as Carol Zulu from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Richard Lungu from the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection and Alick Muvundika from the National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Others are Rachael Tetamashimba from the Ministry of Energy, Akabiwa Nyambe from the Ministry of National Development Planning, Titus Ng’andu from Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit and Morton Mwanza from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr Mukwita reminded the delegates that the Zambian government was serious with issues concerning climate change because the country was still grappling with its effects since the devastating power were a burden to them.

Mr Kalesha said the export tax which had been introduced on coloured gemstones was making the sector unmanageable and un-investable.

“For fairness sake the export tax is making it difficult to invest in the emerald sector. Of late we have been talking to a couple of investors and that is one thing that has been coming up. “Because if you look at deficit of 2015 that threatened to bring the entire economy to a halt.

“Because of heavy dependence on hydro generated power since independence, we have to ration power distribution every time rainfall patterns become unfavourable,” Mr Mukwita said. the cost of mining in the emerald sector, it is huge and immerse and the taxes like mineral loyalties, the coming of sales tax and other already existing taxes it will affect the industry.

“If really Government will not listen to what we the players are saying about the taxes this will surely negatively affect the sector,” Mr Kalesha said.

Mr Kalesha said emerald mining was not like mining of

He said the Zambian government was currently in the process of diversifying sources of electricity with several solar power plants expected to come on stream between now and 2022.

Mr Mukwita said until then Zambians were expected to experience intermittent power ⬀㈀㘀㤀㜀㜀 ㈀㠀㜀 ㄀㜀㘀copper as it was unpredictable.

“The challenge with emerald mining is that you can spend about US$10 million without recovering it even in a period of one year.

“You can be putting in without knowing whether you are going to produce or not. So in our sector we think we are working according to the confines of the law but taxes are injuring us,” Mr Kalesha said. outages, which demanded patience and understanding from citizens and residents.

He said globally, climate change effects had been observed in extreme heat waves, floods, wild fires and melting ice caps that have left thousands dead and others missing.