The Africa mining Vision and Africa Minerals Governance Framework: are governments on the right track?

Africa is home to about 30 percent of the world’s mineral reserves, 12 percent of the world’s oil and 8 percent of the world’s natural gas reserves. The continent also holds 40 percent of the world’s gold and up to 90 percent of its chromium and platinum – both valuable metals. Sub-Saharan Africa is already at the center of global critical mineral production. The Democratic Republic of Congo accounts for over 70 percent of global cobalt output and approximately half the world’s proven reserves. South Africa, Gabon and Ghana collectively account for over 60 percent of global manganese production. Zimbabwe, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali, hold substantial but yet-to-be-explored lithium deposits. Other countries with significant critical mineral reserves include Guinea, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. The importance of these resources in the modern economy cannot be overstated. To date, these resources have typically hindered economic growth and good governance on the continent, this is a story so many are dedicated to change. 

The Africa Mining Vision (AMV) was formally established in 2009 by the African Union (AU), to promote equitable, broad-based development through the prudent utilization of the continent’s natural wealth.  The AMV recognizes the contribution of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) to local economic development and promotes women’s rights and gender justice. It establishes a progressive fiscal regime that can curb the hemorrhaging of the continent’s resources through tax evasion and avoidance and illicit financial flows from the mineral sector. It upholds the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)1 for mining-affected communities, and addresses the social and environmental impacts of mining. 

The Africa Minerals Development Centre established as a specialized agency of the African Union, is tasked with coordinating the implementation and domestication of the Africa Mining Vision (AMV). For AMDC to be fully operational, countries need to ratify its statute.  so far, only 4 countries, namely Guinea, Mali, Zambia and Nigeria, have so far ratified the statutes.  A minimum of 15 ratifications are required to put the statutes in force and fully operationalize the center. Civil society organizations should proactively advocate their governments to ratify the statute and make AMDC operational.

Since its implementation in 2009 as of 2017 only 24 countries out of the 54 were in various stages of nationally implementing the AMV. We also have ongoing exploration with communities yet to benefit from the resource boom and various human rights violations including displacements. With the rush for critical minerals in Africa, many countries have positioned themselves to benefit from the cash boom in exporting their minerals to meet the huge demand from the global north. We, however, have so many policies implemented but seem to have lost the connection to the mining vision. Many African governments refer to national policy instruments but not to the mining vision. Conversations with CSOs are also centered around policy and legislation not being proactive enough to address the mineral boom yet we have an existing policy framework that serves this very purpose.

It is with this in mind that AFRODAD and its partners will host a session on revitalizing conversations around the Africa Mining Vision and its implementing framework the Africa Minerals Governance framework. The session will include a synthesis report of the technical review of the mining vision and the minerals framework as well as a panel discussion on best practices of implementation of the instruments, key challenges in implementation and policy propositions/ recommendations. From the webinar we hope that CSOs will advocate for national visions to be revived at the national level. That communities will be able to hold companies and their governments accountable using the AMV and that more countries will adopt the Africa mining vision and ratify AMDC as a statute.

Objectives

• Exchange best practice lessons from countries implementing the mining vision/ ratifying AMDC statute. (Ghana)
• Present synthesis report from the AMV and AMGF technical review.
• Provide policy recommendations on revitalizing the AMV discussions.

The session will target CSO participants, community-based organizations, women groups, think tanks and youth.

Structure

• Panel discussion on country context in implementation of AMV
• Present synthesis report from the AMV and AMGF technical review.
• Provide policy recommendations on revitalizing the AMV discussions. 

Expected Outcome

Draft advocacy strategy on ratification of AMDC and domestication of AMV/AMGF