Mineral Exploitation, Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Development in EAC, SADC and ECOWAS Regions

Abstract

Africa is endowed with almost all the minerals in the world today, accounting for about 59 per cent of the world’s platinum; 62 per cent of its aluminium silicate; more than 50 per cent of all vanadiumites and vermiculites; more than 50 per cent of diamonds, palladia and chromite’s and more than 20 per cent of gold, uranium, cobalt and manganese. Half the world’s reserves of chromite’s, diamonds, vanadiumites, manganese and gold are found in Southern Africa. Over the past five decades, most of the foreign direct investment to Africa has gone to the mining sector. It is in this regard that UNECA, in promoting trade in minerals, decided to undertake this study to assess the impact of mining on African economies and the associated social, environmental and cultural challenges with a view to optimizing benefits and ensuring sustainable development. The study is specifically aimed at establishing coherent trade and environmental policies to ensure environmentally sustainable mineral exploitation. The report has six sections. Coming after the present introduction is section 2, which provides an overview of mineral resources in Africa. Section 3 examines the mining industry in relation to sustainable development and section 4 discusses environmental governance in Africa. Challenges in ensuring sustainable mining is discussed in section 5 and the last section concludes the paper and makes policy recommendations.