The project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is housed under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development at the Government Complex. Forming part of a broader EU programme of interventions under the 10th European Development Fund. This project was officially launched on 13th January, 2015 and will have duration of three (3) years. The project has an approved total budget of EUR 4.7 million.

Project objectives
The project aims to assist Zambia with improved economic governance, specifically within the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development (MMMD). The specific objective is to strengthen the ability of MMMD to fulfil its mandate as a mining authority to effectively monitor mining activities and mineral production in Zambia, and to share this information with other relevant GRZ agencies, so as to contribute to increased domestic revenue mobilisation.
This will be achieved by:

• Building capacity within MMMD including training of MMMD officers;
• Procuring sampling and analytical equipment for the Geological Survey Department and the Regional Mining Bureaus;
• Helping to set up a mineral production related data capture system in addition to online application and processing of Mineral Import and Export permits;
• Assist MMMD and ZRA with integration of mineral production data for appropriate calculation of royalties.

Current status/Achievements to date include:

• Refurbishment of selected infrastructure and services within the Geological Survey Department have been completed, in preparation for the delivery of various items of laboratory equipment, currently under tender and/or contracted;
• Substantial interaction with the Mineral Value Chain Monitoring Project (MVCMP), largely funded by Norway, and housed in the ZRA, has resulted in agreement on many technical aspects of mineral production reporting,;
• Given the instructions from the Secretary to the Treasury, MMMD and EUD, this project is collaborating with the MVCMP to finalise the mineral production reporting module and to start piloting the prototype, which will be done under leadership of the MMMD;
• A much improved accounting of the actual levels of Zambian copper production over 2014 and 2015 has been achieved;
• A review of the legislative framework governing mining in Zambia was completed, and assistance was given towards the completion of the recently-finalised new Mining Regulations, including a more detailed and appropriate format for production reporting;
• A strategy to improve the visibility of the MPMSP and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, was completed during February, 2016.