Salutations
The Copperbelt Permanent Secretary, Mr. Augustine Mulenga.
- Director General ACC, Mr. Tom Shamakamba.
- Directors of various Mining Companies.
- Senior Government officials
- Civil Society Representatives.
- Members of the Press.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
I am greatly honoured and delighted to be given the opportunity to make a few remarks at the beginning of what is a very important activity for Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and private sector. In line with our mandate of fighting corruption and advocating for good governance at different levels of Zambia’s governance structure, we as TI-Z remain cognizant of the importance of collaborating with different stakeholders both in the public and private sector. It is for this reason that we have taken the deliberate approach of engaging with different stakeholders in order to leverage on their expertise and strengths, for the benefit of the broader anti-corruption fight. This Symposium therefore takes place at a very opportune time for us, as it will allow us to interact with a key sector of Zambia’s economy in a bid to collectively ascertain how they can contribute to the anti-corruption agenda.
Ladies and gentlemen, the theme of the symposium, “Stimulating Economic Growth by Enhancing Integrity in the Mining Sector”, once again reiterates the pivotal role that the mining sector continues to play in Zambia’s economy and development aspirations. It therefore follows that transparency and accountability in the mining sector in general, and in the mining sector procurement process in particular are vital for ensuring that Zambia’s mineral wealth is managed in a responsible and sustainable manner, and that the benefits are fairly distributed among all stakeholders. This highlights the need to address the challenges of governance, corruption risks, and equity in the mining sector, and to emphasize the importance of preserving and utilizing our valuable mineral resources for the benefit of Zambians.
Ladies and gentlemen, the need to enhance integrity in the private sector is a compelling one, and the mining sector is particularly important in that regard. There is need to enhance mechanisms for clamping down on any form of corruption within the mining sector as doing so would be making a direct contribution to the protection of Zambia’s mineral resources, and the benefits that accrue therefrom. Corruption within the private sector, or in any sector for that matter, has a negative impact on societies and economies. It erodes confidence in public institutions, harms prosperity, distorts access to resources, and hinders freedom and safety. The broader negative impacts of such corruption often include inflated prices on public and private contracts and ultimately consumer goods; increased costs of livelihoods for the majority citizens; breach of health, safety and environmental laws leading to environmental damage; and illicit financial flows through establishing subsidiaries in tax havens.
According to a Transparency International study, at the aggregate level, corruption is bad for business. This is because aggregate growth and business performance has been found to be lower where corruption is thriving, while markets also perform poorly when corporate corruption becomes commonplace compared to markets in which businesses typically refrain from corruption.
Ladies and gentlemen, this global and national problem requires a robust solution that will deal a fatal blow to corruption in the private sector in general and in the mining sector in particular. As TI-Z, we therefore with to reiterate that efforts to tackle private sector corruption require the engagement of multiple stakeholders. We therefore reiterate our commitment to continue working with government, public institutions, businesses and civil society to advocate for a stronger and more effective anti-corruption environment within the mining sector, so as to create a level playing field and the highest standards of ethics and good practice within the sector. A key focus in our new strategic plan is the Business Integrity Programme aimed at raising private sector anti-corruption standards, and we call on all stakeholders to support our implementation of that programme.
As I conclude, I wish to emphasize that the mining sector is especially vulnerable to corruption risks due to its technical complexity, relations between the private and the public sector, and large revenues in generates. The implementation of mitigation measures to address these corruption risks within the sector is therefore of paramount importance. It is our fervent hope that this Symposium will help us to find these mitigation measures that will enhance integrity within the mining sector, because only then is the country truly going to benefit from its mineral wealth.
I thank you for your attention, and may the Almighty God bless us all.
