As countries warm up to open up their local economies, Zambia and Tanzania has taken a bolder step as first African countries to open up their international border posts. This will start with the opening of Zambia’s Nakonde border with Tanzania after initial closure of the transit point for copper and cobalt exports and fuel imports, even though people are not allowed to cross. President Edgar Lungu of Zambia shut the border after the town of Nakonde recorded 76 cases of Covid-19, the highest number registered by Africa’s No. 2 copper producer in a day. “Trucks from both sides have been moving, starting with those destined for Tanzania,” Malozo Sichone, the minister of Zambia’s Muchinga province, said in response to a request for comment. He added that citizens were still barred from crossing the border.
Zambia’s Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the lockdown imposed on Nakonde town was lifted on Thursday and Friday, but restrictions on movement were set to come back into force on Saturday to allow for mass screening. Zambia’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 668 on Friday, with 7 deaths, the minister told a media briefing. Sichone had said that talks were ongoing with Tanzania over the border closure, and an agreement could be reached soon.
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A mining industry executive said the border had opened for copper exports from noon on Friday. A logistics official said: “We have trucks that have already crossed.”The minister previously said priority would be given to trucks bringing essential goods such as fuel, medical supplies, and food into Zambia.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry