SADC Business Council’s Post

ECIC’S updated Uganda Country Report outlines the country’s economic and political climate and discusses the overall business environment. The report also highlights opportunities and challenges in the key sectors, namely energy, agriculture, agri-processing, petroleum, transport, infrastructure and mining. The comprehensive report, compiled by ECIC economists, can be accessed here: https://lnkd.in/dvHCNxuT   #ecic #uganda #southafrica #africanbusiness

A Thought-provoking day at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) maximising Africa's potential. Today's UNCTAD pre-event on Africa's #CriticalMinerals sector was a powerful reminder of the immense potential and challenges at hand. The discussions, particularly those around ensuring equitable development and minimising environmental impact, strongly aligned with our mission at GSA Environmental. Rebeca Grynspan, UN Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development's call to action "We need fair and transparent mining contracts to ensure that Africans benefit from their natural wealth" resonated deeply with me. At GSA Environmental, we develop green technologies for waste-to-resource recovery, which can be a valuable tool for companies operating in Africa. These technologies can help: • Close the loop: Minimise reliance on virgin ores and reduce waste sent to landfills by recovering critical and valuable metals from industrial waste streams. • Sustainable extraction & processing: Contribute to cleaner extraction and purification processes, ensuring a more sustainable mining boom. We're excited about the potential for our technologies to play a role in Africa's future, and we're actively seeking partnerships with companies in the region. Inspired by the leadership of attending ambassadors like H.E Mr. Tebelelo Alfred Boang, Ambassador of #Botswana in Ethiopia and H.E Mrs. Rose K. Sakala, Ambassador of the Republic of #Zambia in Ethiopia in advocating for Africa's benefit from its resources. Great insights from Dr. Marit Y. Kitaw of the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) on strategies currently being explored. Exciting times ahead United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

♻️Green Transition• Sovereignty• Economic Development 📈 I attended the Future of Mining Summit this week in Gaborone to get insight on the opportunities development finance insitutions have to support this industry. The summit brought together miners,bankers, consultants and public sector stakeholders from the region to discuss the future of mining for Africa, spotlighting the context of the sustainable mining and ESG integration. As i listened in i couldnt help but wonder 🤔 - How far are we from a time where global regulators will decide to force the hand of sovereigns to shift (when the opportunity for transition is gone) to green sources of energy and mining? - Given that global warming has now literally become a life and death decision in most regions globally, will the shift be as forceful as economic sanctions to non compliant states or will countries continue to have the luxury of sovereignity in the efforts towards net zero? - In southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have declared states of drought disaster.They face widespread crop losses, with between 40 and 80 percent of their maize harvests decimated. This is a climate and food security emergency. - On the other hand a country like Botswana has c.212 billion tonnes of coal reserves and relies on coal for 83% of its electricity generation. Electricity is the backbone of the economy. - Access to capital remains a complex play given high levels of indebtedness and revenue generation capacity of most african states. There is no balancing emergency needs of energy, food security, infrastructure and healthcare. I hope there is a meeting of minds in policy work and intentionality and financial support in keeping a harmony of #sustainability #Sovereignty #economicdevelopment #greentransition

🌟 Are you attending the OECD - OCDE 2024 Forum on Responsible Mineral Value Chains? 🌟 Join our AfricaMaVal project for an insightful partner-led session on integrating the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector into formal value chains at national, regional, and global levels. 🔍 Focus: EU-Africa relations and the integration of ASM in light of the Critical Raw Materials Act and the African Green Minerals Strategy. 📅 When: Friday, May 24, 11.00 - 12.30 CET 🎤 Speakers: 🎙 Kundai Chikonzo, ASM Miner and Chair of Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations 🎙 Mutuso Dhliwayo, Director Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association 🎙 Julie Schindall, Director Responsible Sourcing Levin Sources 🎙João Caholo, Executive Secretary ICGLR 🎙 Louis Maréchal, Senior Advisor OECD - OCDE 🎙 Andre Ufer, Coordinator Responsible Souring EIT RawMaterials 🎙 Jean Claude Guillaneau, Coordinator AfricaMaVal 💬 Moderator: Emanuele Di Francesco, World Resources Forum Don't miss this opportunity to discuss how ASM can contribute to sustainable and fair #CriticalRawMaterials. Join our session organised in collaboration with BRGM - The French geological survey and EIT RawMaterials. #OECD2024 #ResponsibleMining #Sustainability #EU #Africa #ASM #CriticalRawMaterials

Adding a Critical Minerals Agreement to the AGOA Reauthorization Gracelin Baskaran February 5, 2024 Attaching a CMA to AGOA can boost economic development in resource-rich countries, deepen U.S. economic relationships on the continent, and build resilience into clean energy supply chains https://lnkd.in/eeswNpJG # us africa climate economics mining beneficiation ev gvcs industrial policy

🌍Unlock the Future of Critical Minerals The demand for critical minerals is skyrocketing, driving innovation in clean energy, technology, and manufacturing. To navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, it's essential to stay informed. We've just released an in-depth Factsheet on Critical Raw Materials (Minerals) that covers everything you need to know—definitions, various types of minerals, global value chains and Pan-African trade, and the challenges to value creation in Africa’s mining vision. 🔍 Key Insights Include: •The role of critical minerals in the transition to a green economy. • Initiatives in Africa to create value through resource extraction and trade • Challenges and opportunities to value creation in the Africa Mining vision and its implementation. Whether you're in energy, technology, or manufacturing, this resource will help you make informed decisions and stay ahead of the curve. 🚀 Download our factsheet today and gain the insights you need to lead in a critical minerals-driven world: https://lnkd.in/dw4yX5Yj #CriticalMinerals #Sustainability #Innovation #EnergyTransition #ACSEA

Speaking of government revenue, curbing leakages remains a priority for Africa. Botswana, the beacon of hope for sustainable management of mineral resources, lost US$31.5 billion due to illicit financial flows (IFFs) between 1980 and 2018 according to Africa’s Growth Initiative at Brookings Institute. In Africa, Botswana is ranked as the 8th largest emitter of IFFs on the continent, and 4th in the SADC region after South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola respectively. https://lnkd.in/dgbyx_tF Tax Justice Network AfricaAfrican Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC)Rachel Etter-PhoyaRonnie MurunguWeston Marume

Sri Lanka is enduring the worst economic crisis since 1948. Are there any exploration opportunities to solve the difficult situation that the country is facing?   In today’s article, Thomas L. Davis PG PhD and Amila Sandaruwan Ratnayake describe the potential of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in Sri Lanka’s portion of the Cauvery and Mannar basins and the potential of the Lanka Basin. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSXEGvPf

In this new blog, the IGC Zambia team outline four pathways for #sustainablegrowth in Zambia: 1️⃣ boosting agricultural productivity 2️⃣ expanding the #mining sector 3️⃣ reducing spatial inequalities 4️⃣ targeted public service delivery Read the full article now 📄⤵️ https://lnkd.in/dDZdrM5E

Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a rising star in the mining industry. After a scintillating Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh in Jan 2024, UNIDO has announced the establishment of a “Global Alliance and Partnership for Responsible and Green Minerals”, in cooperation with international partners and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to promote a socially responsible and environmentally sound mining sector. The Alliance will work to set up international guidelines and benchmarks for sustainable critical minerals supply chains, help countries with the implementation of standards and policies, supported by a sound certification system. Participating countries and industry stakeholders will benefit from knowledge transfer and capacity building. Alignment of policy, technology and financing approaches will be at the core of the new Alliance, promoting a fair and green sector that supports inclusive and sustainable economic development. https://lnkd.in/d4rkY4NX