African Countries Continue To Defend Rights To Develop Domestic Resources

May 2, 2022 (EIRNS)—During a seminar on “the challenges and opportunities for promoting an inclusive energy transition in Mozambique,” organized by the (British/Nigerian) Center for Democracy and Development on April 28, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy Teodoro Vales came out strongly for the defense of African countries to use their own resources for development. While in the previously discussed case of Nigeria this has referred to development of domestic natural gas, in Mozambique’s case, it includes that most offensive of fuels—coal.

“A lot is said about abandoning coal,” said Vales, “But right now [exportation of] coal is the major contributor to the balance of payments, and in second place we have the heavy mineral sands. So we cannot abandon these sources from one day to the next, because the necessary conditions must be in place for us to do this.”

According to coverage in the Club of Mozambique, Vales added that the current government “has set the ambitious target of producing an extra 600 MW of power by 2024, of which 400 MW will be generated by gas-fired power stations, and 200 MW will come from solar, wind and hydro-electric power.”

This sentiment was echoed separately in Angola, during a “conference on the current situation of the mining sector” on April 26. Diamantino de Azevedo, Angola’s Minister for Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, told attendees that the Angolan government will continue to pay special attention to the country’s mineral wealth, creating a business environment capable of attracting investors to the mining sector.

While in Angola that usually refers to the major export, diamonds, according to de Azevedo, “currently over 20 national and foreign companies had a license to explore for gold, copper and lithium,” reported Agencia Angola Press. A report from August 2021 in Miningmx, says that neighboring Botswana is also currently assisting exploration for new coal reserves—including advancing financing—a situation which mining consultants note is “vastly different” from the situation in South Africa, where coal is being shut down.