Restructuring the Eastern and Southern Africa mineral resources development centre

Abstract

There is little doubt that the broad objective of the Centre; to pool resources for the development of minerals as a basis for socio-economic advancement of the Eastern and Southern African subregion, has always remained relevant throughout its troubled existence. However, it must be remembered that the ESAMRDC came into existence at a time when the State was the major developer of mineral resources. Essentially the policy structures and operational strategies had evolved to support a system in which the State, and its various organs, were the beneficiary of services in return for paying contributions to sustain the operations of the Centre- In the last decade, the role of the State in mineral development has changed drastically from active participation to creating and maintaining legal and fiscal structures in which international mining capital is responsible for the larger part of exploration and mine development expenditure.