CSOs demand stronger role for local communities in Africa’s mining value chain

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Curtains fell on the 15th edition of the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) 2024, with participants increasing the clamour for strengthened legislation and structures in line with the aspirations of the Africa Mining Vision. This will ensure the effective integration and participation of Africa’s communities in the critical minerals value chain.

AMI 2024, convened under the theme ‘Energy Transition Minerals: Putting Communities First for an Inclusive Feminist Future’, brought together over 400 delegates who also committed to a strengthened youth and feminist movement that will keep the fight for a just energy transition for Africa.

AMI 2024 delegates noted that governments and mining companies must come under increased scrutiny to stop tax dodging and ensure that revenue from extractives works for mining communities. They also called for the decriminalisation of the artisanal and small-scale mining sector and the upholding of the human and labour rights of artisanal miners as critical stakeholders in job creation.

TJNA co-convened a session with the Tax Justice Network (TJN) at AMI 2024 that discussed tax justice and the climate crisis in Africa's resource-rich countries. The session focused attention on the use of tax as a tool for tackling inequality amid the climate crisis in Africa’s resource-rich countries by leveraging intergovernmental discussions on international taxation, regional integration, and cooperation.

Speaking at the session, Policy Advisor at the African Minerals Development Centre Mkhululi Ncube noted the need to localise the African mining value chain to address issues of revenue leakages and to ensure inclusivity so that African communities become an integral part of the just transition.

Also speaking at the session, Programs Director at Oxfam South Africa Nkateko Chauke noted that addressing the critical issues in Africa’s mining value chain required stakeholders to pivot towards a holistic approach that addresses the quadruple challenge of resource justice, climate justice, gender justice, and tax justice.

“Structures that are developed outside community structures often don’t succeed. Tax justice is the cusp of our survival, and we should work together to ensure African communities, especially women, benefit from mining,” she added.

TJNA’s Policy Officer for Tax and Natural Resource Governance Mukupa Nsenduluka added that urgent change is needed to address intersecting inequalities on both climate action and tax justice and called for the global north to take responsibility for the climate injustices in Africa.

TJNA also crossed over to the Mining Indaba 2024 where Policy Research and Advocacy Manager, Isaac Agyiri participated in a panel discussion on ‘Evolution of Mining Industry Taxation towards a Bold New Future for African Mining’.  Mr Agyiri called for the resetting of relationships with governments, mining companies, and other stakeholders to achieve an equitable and just transition.

“A Just transition is an important issue for us as a CSO network. The UN Tax Convention seeks to consider Africa as an equal player in the international financial architecture. We must pull together to support tax reforms that deliver genuine transformation and benefits for the African people,” He noted.

Also at the Mining Indaba 2024, Mukupa Nsenduluka participated in the session on ‘African Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS): A Game Changer for Africa’s Minerals-based Industrialization’ at the Mining Indaba 2024. Mukupa noted that Africa is estimated to be losing USD 40 billion through IFFs in the extractive sector, with the figure bound to increase as the scramble for transition minerals intensifies. Mukupa rallied the governments and mining investors to empower African voices on the ground to ensure that they hold mining companies accountable and ensure that taxation and investment regimes in extractives put communities first.

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For more information about AMI 2024 and our work on natural resource governance, please contact Mukupa Nsenduluka at mnsenduluka[@]taxjusticeafrica.net.