Ministry urges transparency in extractive industry

Ministry of Mining says it is working on promoting transparency and accountability in the country’s extractives sector in line with the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (Eiti).

Ministry of Mining Principal Secretary Joseph Mkandawire made the remarks last week in Lilongwe during the 2022 Alternative Mining Indaba organised by the civil society in Malawi.

He said: “I am aware that there are a few companies that are not fully committed to the Eiti process. Malawians have a right to know what is happening with their natural resources.

“The ministry is also committed with contract transparency; as such, we make all the signed contracts available in the public domain where all the interested stakeholders can review them.”

Mkandawire said for the mining industry to make the expected contribution to the country’s economic growth, there is need for concerted, consistent and steadfast efforts towards promotion of sustainable mining.

In his remarks, United States Embassy chargé d’affaires, Jeremey Neitzke, said through a grant from his government’s Fiscal Innovation Transparency Fund for the mining sector, the US is helping Malawi to achieve its goal of becoming a middle-income country with a vibrant and sustainable private sector-led growth.

He observed that Malawi has made a lot of progress in mining governance and meeting the standards of the Eiti, which is the global standard for good governance of mineral resources. Natural Resources Justice Network chairperson Kossam Munthali urged government to speed up the process of coming up with mining industry regulations in line with the Mines and Minerals Act of 2016.