Drought is on going in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Zambia

Summary

High-intensity drought continues across five Central African countries (Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Zambia), with alert levels upgraded to orange stage. This is expected to severely impact agricultural production and mineral mining operations in the region.

Supply-chain impact

• Diamond and cobalt mining activities in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo may be constrained by water shortages
• Manganese mining and timber exports in Gabon face potential disruptions in transportation and processing
• Copper production processes in Zambia's Copper Belt region expected to face difficulties securing cooling water
• Sharp decline in agricultural output across all five countries causing supply disruptions for commodities including cocoa, coffee, palm oil
• Power supply instability due to regional dependence on hydroelectric power causing operational disruptions in manufacturing and mining industries

Watch points

• Need to track water level changes in Congo River and Zambezi River and hydroelectric plant capacity utilization
• Monitor developments in government water usage restrictions and mining operation suspension measures in each country
• Monitor cargo throughput changes at nearby ports (Port of Luanda in Angola, Port-Gentil in Gabon)