Mining sector legal reforms please World Bank
The World Bank has described the revision of the Mines and Minerals Act of 1981 as an important milestone that would aid boosting the nascent mining sector.
World Bank acting country manager Appolenia Mbowe said this on Wednesday when she addressed a Mines and Minerals Act symposium at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe.
The World Bank and the European Union (EU) are supporting the development of the mining sector through the Mining Governance and Growth Support Project (MGGSP).
The project is meant to help improve efficiency, transparency and sustainability of mining sector management.
“We are encouraged both by the cross-section of stakeholders represented today and the Ministry’s [Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining] plan to conduct a series of consultative workshops to seek more views on the revision to the Act,” said Mbowe.
She noted that mining legislation in Malawi has not kept pace with the rapid modernisation of mining codes that occurred throughout Africa over the past decade.
According to Mbowe, although there is some donor support, the Mines and Minerals Act will need to adequately provide for a dynamic exploration sector, typically on security of tenure and transparent management of mining titles.
“The new law should be fully informed by a wide range of views from national stakeholders, as well as relevant lessons from international experience,” she added.
She said Malawians need a shared vision of how the development of mining will take place, citing experiences gained from Kayelekera Uranium Mine in Karonga.
Mbowe also stated that legal reforms will have to be accompanied by continued effort to strengthen the enforcement institutions.
She recalled that public mining institutions have for a long time been deprived of resources in the past and may face considerable challenges in exercising their mandates as mineral sector activity gathers pace.
“It is our hope that legal reforms and institutional capacity building will go hand in hand in view of a sustainable development of the mining sector,” she added.
Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Atupele Muluzi said in his address that for mining to make tangible contribution to the country’s economic growth, there is need for concerted efforts, consistent and spirited efforts towards promotion of sustainable mining.
