Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) and its partners have asked the government to ensure that mining activities directly benefit communities, warning that weak regulation continues to expose people to exploitation and environmental harm.
Speaking on Wednesday in Lilongwe during a conference hosted by EAM in collaboration with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Danish Church Aid, the association’s general secretary the Reverend Francis Mkandawire called for mining policies that prioritise community’s welfare.
He said if properly regulated, mining has the potential to uplift livelihoods, but can also worsen poverty when oversight is lacking.
“Without adequate oversight, mining can quickly turn into a major problem with long-lasting consequences and these affect communities,” said Mkandawire.
NCA country director Stephan Jansen challenged government to ensure transparency so that mining contributes to national and local development.
“Progress on paper is not the same as justice on the ground. Citizens are still left in the dark about who benefits from mining. The global energy transition must not be another scandal,” he said.
Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining acting director of mines Mphatso Chikoti said stakeholder engagement remains crucial in shaping responsive mining policies.
“These platforms are important for the ministry to understand what is happening on the ground and feed that information into policy formulation,” he said.
Last year, mining contributed one percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Malawi Government Annual Economic Report 2025.
But before Kayelekera Uranium Mine was put on care and maintenace in 2014, mining used to contribute 10 percent to GDP. The mine is now operational.
