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No progress recorded in Emerald sub-sector in 2021 – ESMAZ

• In 2021 there was no progress due to the Covid-19 the past two years.
• Lock downs prevented investors from coming into the country.
• Emerald sub-sector has potential to contribute effectively to the economy.

Emerald and Semi-Precious Stones Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) says the emerald sub-sector has not recorded any progress in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic which affected economic activities.
Speaking to Money FM News, Association President Victor Kalesha said the pandemic which ravaged world economies prompted governments to lockdown their countries therefore investors could not come to Zambia to invest in the Emerald sub-sector.
Mr. Kawesha stated that the Association has not seen any progressive development in the sector this year despite making efforts to engage government to empower the small scale miners.
“The description of the Emerald sub-sector for the year 2021 is something that is really a sad story to tell because in 2021 we never saw any progress due to the fact that the past two years, there has been the outbreak of Covid-19 and out of the outbreak of the pandemic, there were lock downs and certain factors that even investors stopped coming into the country, and many economic sectors were affected and the emerald sub-sector was not spared in terms of not progressing well,” Mr. Kawesha said.
He noted that the Emerald sub-sector has potential to contribute effectively to the country’s economy if well harnessed.
“As Emerald sub-sector we haven’t seen any progressive development in the sector in the year 2021 in as much as we tried to make proposals, invited investors, and tried to engage government to empower the small scale miners especially the emerald sub-sector because we feel it is a sector that would contribute effectively to the economy of this country, looking at the performance of Grizzly mining and Kagem mining limited, who when they produce auction handsomely regardless the sector being capital intensive.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Kalesha said it is the Association’s expectation that small scale miners in the Emerald Sub-sector will be able to benefit from mechanisms that the newly created Small and Medium Enterprise Ministry will put in place in the coming year.
“But our expectation is that with the formation of the Small and Medium Enterprise Ministry, we hope they have put mechanisms in place that the small scale miners in the emerald sub-sector will be able to benefit and be able to get investment from that Ministry depending on what modalities they will come up with.”
“And we are also happy that the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development says he wants to work with Small scale miners and wants really to see that this sector is awakened so that it contributes effectively to the economy of the country,” he stated.

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