Civil society on Monday, 1 December, in Maputo, advocated for the creation of a national strategy for critical minerals, emphasizing that Mozambique still lacks specific legal frameworks to guide investments, ensure traceability, and maximize economic benefits, despite its significant position in global graphite production, reported the Lusa news agency.
According to the agency, the call was made by Osman Cossing, program coordinator at the Institute for Multiparty Democracy (IMD), during the National Conference on Critical Minerals. He stated that Mozambique is at a decisive moment but still operates under legislation designed for a context dominated by hydrocarbons, which is unable to fully meet new international requirements linked to the energy transition.
“It is urgent to formulate a national strategy for critical and strategic minerals, as well as modern, inclusive, and balanced legislation that safeguards national sovereignty, attracts responsible investment, and maximizes social and economic benefits,” said Osman Cossing.
The activist added that, although the country produces about 75,000 tons of graphite annually—a mineral essential for battery manufacturing—and has confirmed reserves of lithium, tantalum, niobium, and titanium, there is still no guiding framework to fully capture the value of these resources.
The IMD representative emphasized that the ongoing review of natural resources legislation and the national dialogue process present an opportunity to integrate the critical minerals agenda into the country’s strategic planning.
Edson Matches, president of the Mozambique Chamber of Mines, who attended the conference, stated that critical minerals are essential for sectors such as the energy transition, technological innovation, defense, and food security.
He noted that the proposals discussed are aligned with reforms led by the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy and could strengthen the management and oversight of mining activities. “The goal is to promote joint reflection, reinforce legality, control exploitation, ensure transparency, and guarantee that resources benefit local communities,” he said.
Academic António Niquice warned that the growing global demand for critical minerals places Mozambique in a strategic position but also exposes risks related to institutional fragility. “Resource abundance can generate wealth, but also conflicts, corruption, and institutional weakness,” he said, advocating for robust oversight mechanisms and institutions capable of preventing predatory practices.
The conference brought together representatives from Parliament, provincial assemblies, government, the private sector, academia, and community organizations, with the aim of contributing to a national framework for the research, exploration, and commercialization of critical minerals.
