As Zambia commits to meet the three million ton copper production in ten years, the European Union( EU) has committed to helping Zambia by enhancing its private partnerships for value addition.

The EU are holding a three days EU Zambia Copper Business Forum aimed at capacity building players in the mining sector as they create partnerships that will connect Zambia and the EU.

Ambassador of the European Union to Zambia and Comesa, Karolina Stasiak, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the Forum attended by President Hakainde Hichilema, says continuing to export minerals in raw form, continues to disadvantage the country of its growth.

Meanwhile, Republican President Hakainde Hichilema says the partnership with the European Union should come with exploration works done in the mining sector, and that the 50 percent exploration done before independence is not enough.

By Lovemore Sondashi