By Wahard Betha
Malawi has this year missed an opportunity to market its mineral wealth at this years’ Investing in Africa Mining Indaba as the Ministry of Mining failed to showcase at the global event.
This year’s Investing in Africa Mining Indaba which took place in Cape town, South Africa this month was organized under the theme ‘Unlocking African Mining Investment: Stability, Security, and Supply.’
The theme was chosen to explore African mining opportunities to tap into the global rush for the raw materials needed to ensure a cleaner future, while at the same time considering responsible sourcing and sustained, ethical supplies of these critical minerals.
From Malawi, only representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Chamber of Mines and Energy, and some mining companies attended the mining indaba.
Confirming to our publication on the missing of the Malawi Government pavilion at the event, Coordinator for chamber of Mines and Energy Grain Malunga explained that companies active in Malawi’s mineral sector such as Sovereign Metals, Mkango Resources and Lindian Resources showcased at the indaba.
“The Malawi Government did not have any stand at the Indaba,” said Malunga.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Mining Joseph Mkandawire said in an interview that the Ministry failed to attend the Indaba due to lack of financial resources.
Mkandawire said: “We were supposed to go to the mining indaba, but as you know any activity requires financial resources. This time we did not have the resources.”
“We appreciate the importance of the Indaba because it is where we can woe investors into the country. But when the budget has not been met, it is difficult to attend. This coming year we hope we will be able to attend the indaba.”
Coordinator for Natural Resources Justice Network (NRJN) Kennedy Rashid who attended the Indaba said it is unfortunate that the Ministry failed to showcase at the event despite the mining sector being one of the pillars in the Malawi 2063 economic agenda.
Rashid said: “We need to utilize such events to market our mineral resources sector. It was a very interesting event where countries like Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Junior Mining Companies from across the Continent, Investors, Energy Companies from across the globe showcasing and engaging with participants.”
“We need to develop a strong and realistic marketing strategy for our mining sector and invest more in the marketing of our mineral resources.”
“We need to look at mining the way we look at tobacco as the next global industrialization in green technology requires the potential minerals that we have. Let us be serious with mining as we have indicated in Vision 2063.”