The Federation for Business Development of Mozambique (FDEM) is advocating for the immediate lifting of the suspension of mining licenses for some companies whose activities are considered to have low environmental impact in Manica province, in central Mozambique.
According to Lusa, the recommendation follows the Government’s decision on 30 September to suspend all mining activities in the province after reports of severe environmental degradation linked to unregulated mineral extraction, especially along the region’s main rivers.
According to Jorge Chacate, an FDEM consultant cited by the local press, the suspension should be lifted for mineral water bottling companies, sand extractors and quarries, whose operations pose a “significantly lower environmental impact,” given the urgency of resuming activities to safeguard jobs.
At the same time, the federation proposes the immediate start of preparatory work for environmental remediation and the relocation of waste basins, under direct Government supervision, as a condition for a broader lifting of the imposed restrictions.
The suspension of licenses was decreed following a visit by the operational command of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) to the province between 17 and 19 July. Their findings pointed to uncontrolled mining, a lack of environmental recovery plans, and social and sovereignty risks associated with illegal artisanal mining.
At the time, the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, described the situation as an “environmental disaster” and acknowledged that a total halt to activities might be necessary to stop the degradation of the region’s river ecosystems, marked by cloudy, reddish and opaque waters resulting from the direct washing of minerals and the dumping of untreated waste.
In response, the Government created an interministerial commission led by the ministries of Defence, Mineral Resources, Interior and Environment, among others, with a mandate to reassess the licensing regime, monitor operations on the ground and follow the social impact of the suspension.
According to previous statements by the Council of Ministers’ spokesperson, Inocêncio Impissa, the commission must ensure that mining operators take responsibility for repairing the damage caused and that any resumption of activity, should it occur, is based on strict criteria of environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
