Mining Governance and Growth Support Project Launch, 22 January 2013

In January 2013, the Government of Malawi along with the World Bank launched the Malawi Mining Governance and Growth Support Project. According to an implementation status and results report released this month, progress is moderately satisfactory.

According to the public disclosure copy of the report, good progress has been made in key activities including the airborne geophysical survey, the strategic environmental and social assessment, and the support for improving mining revenues. Yet the functional review of mining institutions is lagging behind.

The Mines and Minerals Policy launched last year has not yet be accompanied by a new mining act and by amended mineral taxation legislation and mining regulations. To assist the Ministry of Mining in finalising the mining law, an international consultant is being brought in and consultation workshops will also be conducted.

In June, another consultant will work with the Ministry of Mining to modernise the mining cadastre in coordination with the Revenue Development Foundation which has implemented a mineral rights system, financed by the German development agency GIZ.

The project update also indicates that the Department of Mines will submit revised training plans to include a tertiary education programme on mining-related courses.

The aim of the project is to improve the efficiency, transparency and sustainability of mining sector management, guided by the following four components:

1. Component A: Managing Mineral Rights and Operations. Activities to support the Government build an efficient, transparent and environmentally and socially sustainable framework for managing mineral rights and operations.
2. Component B: Generating and Managing Mineral Revenue. Activities to support the Government develop transparent arrangements for optimal generation and use of mineral revenues.
3. Component C: Promoting the Mining Sector. Activities to support the Government improve the enabling environment for mining sector development by acquiring and disseminating geo-data, foster more sustainable artisanal and small scale mining, increase the supply of Malawians trained at tertiary level in minerals and improve the policy environment for mining-related infrastructure development.
4. Component D: Project Management. Support at implementation to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment to undertake project management, in accordance with the Bank’s fiduciary and other guidelines.

For further information, please visit the World Bank’s project page Malawi Mining Governance and Growth Support Project.