An Australian mining executive has been allowed to fly home a week after he was detained in the southern African nation of Zambia.
According to local media, police stopped Nathan Bullock, the chief executive of Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) at the country's international airport on 16 April as he tried to board a flight home to Australia.
His company, which is majority-owned by Glencore, is in a dispute with the Zambian government after it temporarily closed two copper mines due to COVID-19 and falling copper prices.
The miner said it will continue paying permanent staff and unionised contractors during the three-month closure, but the government argued this move still puts 11,000 jobs at risk.
A Glencore office. Source: AAP
"We are a pro-poor government who were elected to ensure that Zambian workers are protected and where there is the justification we will allow the laying off of people but not in this situation where we clearly have MCM fishing for reasons to lay people off," Mines Minister Richard Musukwa said.
But on Monday, an agreement was reached between the Zambian government and Glencore, in which the company committed to restarting mining operations for at least 90 days.
During this time, discussions about the future of the mine will continue.
In a statement, the Zambian Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development said Mr Bullock has been allowed to fly home.
"The government has further allowed MCM CEO Nathan Bullock to leave the country, for him to be with his family and Mr Charles Sakanya has been appointed to act as the CEO."
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told SBS News it had been providing consular assistance to an Australian man in Zambia.
