2024-02-19 23:41:28
Africa Economy takes a five-part look at the mining sector on the continent, following the Mining Indaba event which took place earlier this month in Cape Town, South Africa. Africa’s mines will be crucial for the energy transition. But under what conditions for Africa? In order to create value on the continent, the desire to process more locally is being hammered home, and some countries are going so far as to put in place restrictions on the export of unprocessed raw materials.
With our special correspondent in Cape Town, Claire Bargelès
Last year, for example, Namibia gave the green light to ban the export of certain so-called minerals. critiques » unprocessed, such as crushed lithium, cobalt, or even rare earth minerals. “ As demand is high, we believe we are losing out: we should reap maximum profits from our minerals », Estimates Isabella Chirchir, the country’s mines commissioner. She believes that we must now ensure that we add value to the minerals. But for this, a vision is necessary.
« It all depends on which stage we are talking about. Do we ultimately want to launch into battery manufacturing ? Of course, in 20 years, underlines the mines commissioner. But for now, we need to understand the value chain, and in the case of lithium, see if it is possible to make concentrate, or go as far as carbonate, or hydroxide. »
Effective export bans?
Zimbabwe has also implemented similar bans. But they do not affect already existing contracts, and leave the door open to possibilities of exemption. Other countries, like Ghana, are also thinking about it. But Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Jinapor is cautious. “ In terms of timetable, the export of raw minerals as a whole will be banned in the fairly near future, assures the minister. But we do not want to put in place policies that would pit two camps against each other. Investors are partners, to achieve a win-win situation: the Ghanaian state wins, and the investors too. »
Such bans have been regularly put in place and then removed in the past, and according to an OECD report, they do not necessarily have the expected effects in developing local processing. Be careful not to put the cart before the horse. “ Experiences have shown that when export bans are put in place without the creation of an industrial base in the country, with necessary infrastructure, electricity, skills, most of these interventions are not very positive “, precise Silas Olan’g, from the Institute for Natural Resource Governance (NRGI).
Like Indonesia, countries also take the risk of disputes being brought before the World Trade Organization. But Jose Fernandez, US Under-Secretary of State for Economy, Growth, Energy and Environment, prefers to advocate cooperation. “ Every country must decide how it intends to attract investment. There are countries with which we work and which have these restrictions: this is something that our companies are ready to accept, to bring value to their investments “, he says. According to experts, African countries will especially need to create regional value chains in order to process these minerals together. critiques ».
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