A study on the governance of extractive resources, carried out by a consortium of civil society organizations, concluded that the exploitation of natural resources in Mozambique has brought more risks than benefits to local communities.

The study's data was shared yesterday in Maputo by Sérgio Chichava, from the Institute of Social and Economic Studies, during the conference on the Governance of Extractive Resources and Conflicts, at a meeting that also discussed the inclusive and peaceful management of extractive resources in Mozambique.

According to Sérgio Chichava, the findings were made in the southern part of Inhambane province (south of the country) and the entire northern part of the Save River, in the provinces of Sofala and Tete (central), and Niassa and Cabo Delgado (north), where, for example, local entrepreneurs complain about the lack of business opportunities, fishermen report the disappearance of fish species due to the impacts of research carried out by Sasol off the coast of Inhambane, as well as environmental pollution in Tete.

"The idea is to show that, although Mozambique is rich in natural resources, challenges persist in their exploitation and management. These challenges must be taken seriously and responsibly, because they can exacerbate conflicts. The people who live in the places of exploitation feel few benefits and more risks," said Sérgio Chichava, quoted by AIM.

For the source, in Sofala province, the communities living around Gorongosa National Park are complaining of limited access to fishing and the extraction of firewood for domestic use, benefits that the populations are legitimately claiming to exploit, given the situation of poverty in which they find themselves.

Nevertheless, the study draws attention to the way in which conflicts with artisanal miners are managed in the provinces of Niassa and Cabo Delgado, characterized by expulsions from mining areas without negotiation, a situation that can exacerbate tensions, create resentment and increase the potential for local conflicts.

Meanwhile, the representative of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME), José Amigos, present at the meeting, said that despite the challenges in the area of exploiting natural resources, Mozambique has been able to carry out actions aimed at making natural resources a blessing and not a curse, contributing to development.

José Amigos stressed that Mozambique has been a benchmark in complying with the standards of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), with its reports containing recommendations that serve as a basis for corrective actions deemed unacceptable for the extractive industry.

He pointed to the review carried out by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and MIREME on sub-national transfers as gains, increasing from 2.75 percent to 10 percent of the amount allocated to the communities, stressing that of this figure, 7.25 percent should be allocated to the communities in the province where the exploration takes place.