Zambia has been gearing up for talks with the IMF after becoming the first African nation to default on debt since the COVID-19 pandemic started. … The level of debt has now blown out to around $12 billion (€9.97 billion), half of which comes from private creditors.
Is Zambia in a debt crisis?
Other organisations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, have said Zambia has taken on more debt than it could handle. Even before the pandemic, Zambia was due to pay $1.7bn to service its debts this year – equating to more than 8% of the country’s GDP for 2020.
Who owns Zambia debt?
The country has some $12 billion in external debt, including $3 billion in international bonds and large loans from Chinese state-owned lenders. The government hasn’t said exactly how much it owes to Chinese lenders as a whole.
Is Zambia in debt to China?
Zambia owes over USD 3 billion to Chinese entities of a total of USD12 billion in external debts. China’s presence is visible all over Africa. … The country’s sovereign debt reached 96 per cent of GDP in 2020, while the country has started defaulting on loans in 2019 itself.
What is Zambia’s external debt?
Zambia was already struggling with its $12bn external debt load. But coronavirus has aggravated pre-existing financial pressures in the country.
Why is Zambia in so much debt?
Zambia’s debt crisis coupled with the coronavirus pandemic is proving a double blow for the country’s 17 million people. Zambians have been hard hit by rising food prices and job losses during the pandemic. And the nation’s debt crisis means the government has limited resources to help.
Is Zambia rich or poor?
However, despite its economic growth, Zambia is still one of the poorest countries in the world with 60 percent of the population living below the poverty line and 40 percent of those people living in extreme poverty.
Why does China want Zambia?
China’s primary ambition in Zambia is its access to copper. … Trade between the two countries grew 25-fold between 2003 and 2009 and during that same period, 98% of Chinese investment in Zambia targeted the mining and manufacturing sectors.
How does Zambia benefit from China?
Chingola Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Fred Musonda said Zambia was benefiting from China in economic development, such as improved trade with the Asian nation. “We have been getting good news from China that the Asian nation wants to import goats and sheep as well as blueberries.
Is Zambia safe?
Zambia is rated Level 1 for security (exercise normal precautions) and has few major security concerns. Visitors can avoid criminal activity by utilizing common sense measures provided below. Political activity, especially during national and local elections, can lead to civil unrest and low-level violence.
How many Chinese are in Zambia?
In recent decades, the population of Chinese people in Zambia has rapidly increased. There were 80,000 Chinese people living in Zambia according to a 2019 U.N. World Population study.
Is Zambia a colony of China?
Like many other African countries, Zambia, a former British colony rich in copper and cobalt, has embraced China. In return it has received billions of dollars in investments. … It took the form of the Tazara railway, which was built by China in the 1970 to links the Copperbelt to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Has Zambia sold part of Victoria Falls to China?
Reports from Zambia indicate that Zambia has approved the re-colonisation of Africa by offering land to a Chinese national. A Zambian firm, ZESCO sold prime land in Victoria Falls to a Chinese national Ju Wenbin to pave way for him to construct a Ferris Wheel.
How much is Zambias debt?
The figures refer to the whole country and include the debts of the state, the communities, the municipalities and the social insurances. In 2019, the national debt of Zambia amounted to approximately 91.9 percent of the GDP.
What does debt do to a country?
Debt holders demand larger interest payments. They want compensation for an increasing risk they won’t be repaid. That increases interest rates and slows the economy. It puts downward pressure on a country’s currency.
Does Zambia have free healthcare?
At present, Zambia provides the population with basic health care services free of charge at the primary health care level. The services that are available are set out in their National Health Care Package (NHCP).