Madagascar lifts 16-year ban on mining permits, excludes gold
Madagascar has lifted a 16-year moratorium on issuing new mining permits for most minerals, while maintaining restrictions on gold mining due to regulatory concerns, the government said late on Thursday.
The suspension, which had been in place since 2010, was originally introduced to allow a review of the country’s mining governance and legal framework. Its removal is expected to unlock long-delayed investment in a sector that is a key pillar of Madagascar’s economy, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Madagascar is a major exporter of minerals including nickel, cobalt, graphite and ilmenite. The Ambatovy nickel-cobalt project remains the country’s flagship mining operation and one of its largest sources of foreign investment and export revenue.
“Mining permits are an essential working tool that allows operators and investors to operate legally,” Mines Minister Carl Andriamparany said at a press conference, explaining the decision to lift the suspension.
According to the latest Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report, around 1,650 mining permit applications were pending as of 2023.
However, the government has decided to keep the moratorium on gold permits in place. Andriamparany cited major gaps between officially declared gold output and the scale of artisanal mining across the country, saying the state currently lacks the capacity to effectively regulate and monitor the sector.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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