Breakthrough study unveils investment potential in local mining sector
The EU-funded AfricaMaVal project, spearheaded by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in collaboration with Namibian company Odikwa Geoservices, has launched the “Country Case Study Namibia” report.
The report, unveiled on Tuesday, 9 April, at the Auditorium of the Geological Survey of Namibia in Windhoek, presents a comprehensive assessment of investment potential within the country’s mining landscape.
Providing a thorough overview of Namibia’s geological landscape and its Extended Critical Raw Materials (ECRM) endowment, the report delineates investment prospects for both extraction and local value addition within these value chains.
Additionally, it offers insights into the regulatory framework governing financing, encompassing taxation and royalties, while also shedding light on Namibia’s macroeconomic context.
Moreover, the report delves into the social, environmental, and governance challenges confronting Namibia, particularly exploring the interface between mining practices and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives. It underlines Namibia’s robust legal framework, labor regulations, taxation regime, trade barriers, and the uncertainties surrounding protected areas.
The workshop accompanying the report’s launch facilitated discussions on the expectations and challenges associated with investment opportunities in Namibia’s critical and strategic commodities sector, drawing from the study’s findings.
The objectives of the Namibia Case Study are in harmony with the EU-Namibia strategic partnership on Critical Raw Material (CRM) and Green Hydrogen Value Chains established in November 2022.
Ana Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador to Namibia, underscored the significance of the AfricaMaVal project in aligning with Namibia’s vision for a green energy transition.
She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to fostering sustainable, clean, and inclusive economic growth in Namibia, emphasizing the promotion of local value generation and sustainable value chain integration between Namibia and the EU as fundamental aspects of this partnership.
The AfricaMaVal project endeavors to bolster partnerships between the EU and African nations, supporting EU investments and European industry involvement in Namibia’s mining sector, encompassing both industrial and small-scale mining, along with associated infrastructure and value chains.
Full report can be found here: (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:5990eb9d-921b-4563-ae6a-f9f5b10609f5
FLTR: Anna Nguno, Namibia Geological Survey AfricaMaval Advisory Board Member; Federico Berna, EU Head of Cooperation; Tomas Feidieker, German Embassy Head of Cooperation; Mary Barton, Odikwa Geoservices Project Manager; Malte Drobe, Africa Maval Programme Director- Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources; Ana Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador to Namibia; Martin Quinger, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources; Odikwa Goeservices Consultants – Zach Kauraisa, Andreas Salom and Nerson Tjelos.
