Copper-rich Zambia became Africa’s first coronavirus-era sovereign default last November. By Helen Reid, Reuters 28 Sep 2021 11:33 Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg Zambia’s debt to Chinese public and private lenders is $6.6 billion, almost double the amount disclosed by the previous Zambian government, an analysis of loan data by the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) has estimated. Copper-rich Zambia became Africa’s first coronavirus-era sovereign default last November and its ongoing debt restructuring has become a test case of Western multilateral efforts for countries to fully disclose their borrowings. Zambia’s previous government led by Edgar Lungu said its Chinese debt stood at $3.4 billion. But the estimate published by CARI on Tuesday chimes with recent comments from newly-elected President Hakainde Hichilema, who took office last month, that the debt load is likely higher. The country’s international creditors, which the government is in talk...