weighted score 5.3 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Zambia
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Zambia-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
6
TVPRA listings for emeralds, gems, and tobacco. Child labour documented in artisanal mining. Large-scale mining operations have stronger controls.
Worker rights & FOA
5
Freedom of association is legally protected. Trade unions operate, though enforcement is uneven. Labour rights framework is better than many regional peers.
OHS & audit transparency
6
Occupational health and safety standards in large-scale mining are improving. ASM sector has limited OHS infrastructure. Audit access is generally available.
Food & product safety
5
Food safety regulatory capacity is limited. Standards infrastructure is developing. Agricultural exports face EU SPS compliance challenges.
Environmental & regulatory
5
Mining environmental impact is the primary concern. Copper smelter emissions and tailings management are under scrutiny. EITI membership supports transparency.
Governance & anti-corruption
7
TI CPI 2024: 35/100. Corruption remains a material risk despite reform efforts under the Hichilema administration. Institutional capacity is limited.
Tariff & preferential access
2
EU EBA provides full duty-free, quota-free access. This is the most preferential regime available and removes tariff barriers entirely.
Non-tariff barriers
5
SPS compliance for agricultural products is a constraint. Mining sector exports face fewer non-tariff barriers. Rules of origin documentation capacity is developing.
Supply chain traceability
7
Copper and cobalt traceability improving through RMI and EITI. Gemstone traceability in ASM remains weak. Multi-tier visibility is limited outside large-scale mining.
Labour & Social Risk
Labour & Social Risk
- TVPRA listings
- US Department of Labor TVPRA list includes Zambian emeralds, gems, and tobacco as goods produced with child labour or forced labour. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in gemstones carries the highest risk.
- Child labour in mining
- Child labour is documented in artisanal mining operations, particularly in copper, cobalt, and gemstone extraction. Large-scale mining operations with international operators have stronger controls, but ASM supply chain leakage remains a concern.
- Traceability
- Copper and cobalt traceability is improving through initiatives such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative and EITI membership. Zambia is an EITI-compliant country, supporting extractive sector transparency.
Governance & Trade Access
Governance & Trade Access
- Governance score
- TI Corruption Perceptions Index score of 35/100 — translating to a Governance dimension score of 7. Corruption remains a material risk, though the Hichilema administration has prioritised anti-corruption reforms.
- EU tariff access
- EU Everything But Arms (EBA) provides duty-free access — Tariff dimension score of 2. This is the most preferential EU trade regime and removes tariff barriers for Zambian exports.
- EITI membership
- Zambia is a compliant member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, supporting revenue transparency in the mining sector. This is a positive signal for supply chain due diligence.