Improvements to Tanzania Mining Policy Recommended

Recommendations for improvements to the draft policy of the Tanzania mining sector were discussed at a two-day workshop in Dar es Salaam at the end of last year, during which time stakeholders in Tanzania’s energy and mineral sector suggested that there is a need for regular overview of the situation analysis of the country’s mining industry.

Many of the stakeholders who attended the workshop came up with different recommendations for potential improvements to the current mining policy in Tanzania.

These suggestions were made based on the creation of mutual benefits to the investors interested in Tanzania, the nation as a whole and the public at large.

Based on these recommendations as well as government input, the new policy is expected to be completed by April.

Mr. Arthur Mwakapugi, who is the Permanent Secretary for the Tanzania Ministry of Energy and Minerals and also served as Chairman of the workshop, said that this decision would help the country to determine the quantity of minerals that are available within the borders of Tanzania.

According to Mr. Mwakapugi, “the participants also recommended that there was a need to advance ways of writing the policy for easier understanding.”

In addition, participants of the workshop also indicated that the draft policy of the mining sector was intended to indicate the available statistics as well as the likely contribution of the mining sector to the overall development of Tanzania.

Mr. Mwakapugi went on to say that the new policy will include benefits for both parties involved and that he hoped that the recommendations gathered from the workshop would help the Ministry to achieve the goal of having an applicable draft policy.

At the same time, according to a December report by the Guardian, the Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr. Adam Malima, said that the mining sector influences social, economic and political affairs alike and there was, therefore, a need for everybody to take part in the mining community in some fashion.

“Every member of the society should bear in mind that he or she is a member of the mining community,” said Mr. Malima, “Everyone therefore has contribution in the improvement of the mining industry.”

Mr. Malima went on to say that the major purpose in reviewing the draft policy was to ensure that it was beneficial to both the public and to the investors in Tanzania.

The current draft policy in Tanzania reads, “In an effort to improve the mining sector, the government will ensure that all recommendations given by the participants will be equally implemented; and the government was still set to receiving other peoples’ opinions on the improvement of the mining policy.”

To this, Mr. Malima added that the need to review policies went along with the need to adopt technological advancements in order for the changes to be completely effective.