Press Release

Launch of future of mining revenue for Malawi study report

On Tuesday, 15 November 2016, Oxfam, Natural Justice
Network and Publish What You Pay Malawi will launch
Future of mining revenue for Malawi study report in
Lilongwe at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC)
from 1400hr.
The study which focussed on Mkango Hill rare-earth project
as a case study reveals that government revenues from the
mining sector have not met expectations. This has been
due to long timelines from discovery to production, to the
global slump in commodity prices, and to government
investment incentives offered to mining companies such as
Paladin.
The study assessed the economic viability of extractives
sector bearing in mind the huge expectations that the
country has in the industry as an alternative to the agriculture sector that is being heavily hit
by climate change.
Oxfam in Malawi Country Director, John Makina says the report has revealed that there is
always need to do an economic assessment of a mining project before commencement.
It is important in our future mining projects that we should be doing a thorough economic
viability of mining projects the same way we do environmental and social impact
assessments, says Makina. This will help us set realistic targets and expectations of how
much revenues we should expect from a particular project.
For more than a decade, mining has been touted as having a potential to become a major
driver of the Malawian economy and a much-needed source of additional government
revenue. Thus far, the sector has failed to live up to expectations.
The launch will be broadcast live on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS). As part of the event,
a panel of experts will discuss the study findings and listeners will be given a chance to
contribute to the discussion through mobile text messaging.
For more details regarding the report and launch, please contact Elyin Nkhonjera on 0999
274 411 or email enkhonjera@oxfam.org.uk