Copper supply chain resumes as Zambia-Congo border reopens

Foreign media news on 12 August, the Zambian national broadcaster reported on Monday that the country will reopen 

the border crossing with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, a move that undoubtedly injected a shot

 in the arm for the global copper market.

The move comes after Zambia abruptly closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the weekend, 

a move that immediately created a serious impediment to copper exports from the latter - the world's second-largest

 copper producer. As a significant supplier of copper to the world, the DRC produced more than 2.8 million tonnes of copper last year, 

and almost all of its production relies on road transport through Zambia to ports in Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia for export

 to the global market. The closure of the border has therefore directly blocked this key logistics corridor, posing a threat to

 the stability of the global copper supply chain.

Notably, the Zambian media reported on Monday evening that the two governments had signed a communiqué allowing Zambian 

products unrestricted access to Congo. This initiative is not only a positive response to the current border issue, but also an important 

step towards deepening economic cooperation between the two countries and promoting regional economic integration. The signing 

of the communiqué not only provides a more stable and predictable environment for trade between the two countries, but also lays 

a solid foundation for cooperation between the two countries in a wider range of areas. With the strengthening of cooperation between 

the two countries, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will achieve mutual benefits and win-win results in economic development,

 infrastructure construction, energy development and other areas in the future.

The importance of this reopening of the border cannot be overstated. It directly addresses the blockage of Congolese copper exports 

and avoids the global market volatility that could have been triggered by a disruption in the supply chain. The stability of the supply of copper,

a key industrial raw material, is critical to the proper functioning of multiple sectors of the global economy.