Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LUSAKA748
2009-10-22 13:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lusaka
Cable title:
RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ZAMBIA (C-C19-01825)
how-toVZCZCXRO7288 RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHLS #0748 2951352 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 221352Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7392 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000748
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2019
TAGS: PINR BBSR ECON EINV ZA
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ZAMBIA (C-C19-01825)
REF: STATE 88241
Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000748
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2019
TAGS: PINR BBSR ECON EINV ZA
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ZAMBIA (C-C19-01825)
REF: STATE 88241
Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) This cable is a response to the reftel information
request regarding Russia's economic presence in sub-sarahan
Africa. Russia currently does not have a large economic
presence in Zambia. We are unaware of significant Russian
trade representation in Zambia. Russian trade development is
managed by the Russian embassy in Lusaka, and those efforts
have been somewhat moribund to date. The Russian embassy
worked to develop a Zambia-Russia Business Council, but it
appears to be relatively inactive and consists primarily of
Zambians who previously studied in Russia and the former
Soviet Union. Trade between Russia and Zambia is minimal,
and represents less than five percent of Zambian exports and
imports.
2. (C) While there is currently little large-scale Russian
economic presence in Zambia, we have learned that Russian
companies are working to enter the telecom and fuel supply
markets. In telecom, a consortium between Vimplecom,
Russia's second largest mobile phone operator, and Alfa
Telecom International Mobile (Altimo),the telecom investment
arm of Alfa Group, is reported to be one of seven bidders
short-listed for the partial privatization of state-owned
telecom company Zamtel. Lukoil is reportedly angling to take
over the fuel and petroluem supply contract that is currently
held by a Kuwaiti company. The company is actively working
with senior Zambian government officials to get the contract
out for bid and appears to have high-level Zambian government
(GRZ) support. However, the GRZ reportedly decided to delay
the re-bidding process due to the political sensitivity
surrounding fuel given the recent shortages the country is
experiencing since the closure of the refinery in Zambia for
annual maintenance and the withdrawal of Total from its 50
percent ownership of the refinery (co-owned with the GRZ).
BOOTH
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2019
TAGS: PINR BBSR ECON EINV ZA
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRESENCE IN ZAMBIA (C-C19-01825)
REF: STATE 88241
Classified By: Ambassador Donald Booth for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) This cable is a response to the reftel information
request regarding Russia's economic presence in sub-sarahan
Africa. Russia currently does not have a large economic
presence in Zambia. We are unaware of significant Russian
trade representation in Zambia. Russian trade development is
managed by the Russian embassy in Lusaka, and those efforts
have been somewhat moribund to date. The Russian embassy
worked to develop a Zambia-Russia Business Council, but it
appears to be relatively inactive and consists primarily of
Zambians who previously studied in Russia and the former
Soviet Union. Trade between Russia and Zambia is minimal,
and represents less than five percent of Zambian exports and
imports.
2. (C) While there is currently little large-scale Russian
economic presence in Zambia, we have learned that Russian
companies are working to enter the telecom and fuel supply
markets. In telecom, a consortium between Vimplecom,
Russia's second largest mobile phone operator, and Alfa
Telecom International Mobile (Altimo),the telecom investment
arm of Alfa Group, is reported to be one of seven bidders
short-listed for the partial privatization of state-owned
telecom company Zamtel. Lukoil is reportedly angling to take
over the fuel and petroluem supply contract that is currently
held by a Kuwaiti company. The company is actively working
with senior Zambian government officials to get the contract
out for bid and appears to have high-level Zambian government
(GRZ) support. However, the GRZ reportedly decided to delay
the re-bidding process due to the political sensitivity
surrounding fuel given the recent shortages the country is
experiencing since the closure of the refinery in Zambia for
annual maintenance and the withdrawal of Total from its 50
percent ownership of the refinery (co-owned with the GRZ).
BOOTH