Zambia and Qatar Pen Partnership Pact Worth $19B
On 18 August 2025, Al Mansour Holdings of Qatar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for partnership in various sectors. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was present at the Qatar State House to witness the momentous occasion, and talks have been ongoing since his last official visit in Qatar in 2023.
The accord represents one of the largest investment deals in the history of Zambia so far. Under Qatar’s new overseas investment plan (#QA300B), it is estimated that the total #FDI into Zambia might reach USD 19 billion.
“These agreements unlock vast opportunities for economic cooperation and investment. Beyond economic collaboration, Zambia and Qatar will also work together to address global challenges, especially in the promotion of peace, stability, and security, for without peace, there can be no sustainable development.”
Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema
The projects spanned a wide range of sectors. It includes the construction of 1.5 million units of social housing and the development of #SmartCities. Agriculture, Irrigation, Agroprocessing and #FoodSecurity will be another important area of cooperation. Zambia, with its mineral-rich #Copperbelt, is also keen to monetize its mining resources.
A separate agreement was inked between Al Mansour Holdings of Qatar and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of Zambia to partner in the fields of Transport, Telecoms, Mining, and Energy.
The MoU also involves the establishment of a National Investment and Development Bank as well as several sovereign-backed investment vehicles. The Government of Zambia has committed to enacting the necessary reforms to have a more adapted and responsive financial architecture.
The accord is deemed to be historic and a breakthrough for both sides. Zambia views Qatar as an important source of funding and destination market for its agricultural produce, while Qatar sees great potential in Zambia’s agricultural and mineral sectors. Africa is engaging more with the oil-rich Gulf states, while the Gulf countries are also looking more toward Africa for their #FoodSecurity and #SustainableDevelopment as the #EnergyTransition accelerates.