A Made in China Disaster in Africa

In February, a dam storing toxic byproducts at a copper mine in northern Zambia collapsed, releasing mercury, lead, and arsenic into a tributary of the Kafue river, Zambia’s longest. It killed the fish, contaminated a major source of drinking water, poisoned crops across a large area, and is jeopardising the health of the local population. Environmentalists dispute the government’s claim that only 50,000 tonnes of acidic material spilled, saying the figure is 1.5 million tonnes. With the rains setting in now, the spill could reach capital Lusaka. The case of the mine run by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, a Chinese state subsidiary, has become a test for the Zambian government in standing up to Beijing despite its $5 billion debt.

It’s also a test for China whose involvement in Africa is alleged to be neo-colonial exploitation. One reason is the unprecedented scale of the disaster. But geopolitics might lend a helping hand to Zambia given America’s recent emergence as the biggest investor in Africa. The US is interested in Zambian copper, needed for clean energy, and cobalt used in EV batteries. China does have serious competition in Africa, finally. As one expert told BBC, it’s time Africa learned to play one power against another.