Malawi Issues 172 Mining Licenses, Raising Environmental Concerns

The Malawi government has issued 172 mining licenses in the past four years as part of its effort to boost the country’s agriculture-dependent economy. “According to records obtained from the Mining Ministry, 172 companies in the extractive industry have been given licenses either for exploration or full-scale mining,” Malawian Economist Mabvuto Bamusi told OOSKAnews on April 25. “Presently, following the discovery of mineral and oil resources in Malawi, both local and international firms have increased their investment in resources into exploration and extraction. “However, the minerals and oil exploration and actual extraction puts Malawi’s air, land and water resources and the environment in general at the risk of degradation since Malawi as a country has no policy and legislative framework in place to regulate the extractive industry,” he said...