Strengthening environmental governance in West Africa’s mining sector

The NCEA joined Burkina Faso’s SAMAO to discuss responsible closure and rehabilitation of mines. At the Semaine des Activités Minières en Afrique de l’Ouest (SAMAO), organized by the Burkinabè Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, NCEA moderated a panel on the role of actors in mine closure and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation and closure are sensitive phases of the mining life cycle, requiring the involvement of a wide range of actors. Collaboration, inclusion, transparency and gender are key for responsible closure and rehabilitation, said panelists.

The panel consisted of four actors that play a key role in the rehabilitation and closure process: environmental assessment agency ANEVE, consultancy firm SOCREGE, mining company Roxgold Sanu and AFEMIB, the Association of Women in the Mining Sector of Burkina Faso.  They are responsible for the development and validation of closure and rehabilitation plans, and have a watch dog role regarding the role of women in the mining sector.

SAMAO ended with a field visit to the Sanbrado mine. A mining ESIAs should cover the full life cycle of a mine and already include an initial closure and rehabilitation plan before construction starts. The Sanbrado environmental expert pointed at the role of the ESIA by providing information about the state of play of the area before construction, which helps to develop plans for rehabilitation of the site. SAMAO was also an opportunity to meet with Burkina government and civil society and to engage with representatives from other African countries to explore new initiatives in mining and environmental assessment.