Namibia approves mining policy for protected areas, backs AU mineral initiative

WINDHOEK, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's cabinet has approved a national policy governing prospecting and mining in protected and environmentally sensitive areas while endorsing an African Union (AU) initiative for sustainable mineral development and value addition.

The decisions were made during the cabinet's 24th meeting, held on July 28, according to a statement released on Friday by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

The policy aims to promote integrated and sustainable prospecting and mining practices that maintain environmental integrity and avoid degradation of highly sensitive areas, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus said in the statement.

The cabinet also approved the signing of the statute of the African Mineral Development Center (AMDC), an AU specialized agency to support cooperation in the mineral sector and the sustainable development of Africa's mineral resources.

The decision authorizes Namibia's minister of international relations and trade to sign the statute on behalf of the government, subject to subsequent ratification by Parliament, Theofelus said.

The cabinet noted that the AMDC is mandated to implement the African Mining Vision, an AU policy framework that seeks to transform the continent's mining sector by promoting value addition, industrialization, and broader socio-economic development from mineral resources.

Mining is one of Namibia's key economic sectors, with the country producing minerals, including uranium, diamonds, gold, and zinc. ■