Under this program we undertake targeted extractive sector governance analyses aimed at influencing extractive resource governance, human rights and reduced harm from extraction.  We advocate for extractive governance reforms and promote accountability, value maximization and lasting benefits from the current and future of extractives. We anchor the national and regional issues to the continental and global discourse on extractive sector governance and its impact on citizens and development. We actively engage in the political economy analysis and discourse on extractive sector governance.

Extractives Governance Program

The extractive sector has potential to drive Tanzania and the East Africa region’s current and future economic development aspirations. Yet, the sector has been evolving with new regional and global trends such as climate change and energy transition, whose impacts have a significant potential to alter the region’s development trajectory and aspirations.

The history of abundant mineral wealth and mining in mineral rich countries has not been good. It is dotted with conflicts, concerns of missed opportunities and limited dividends to Mineral rich countries and communities in the mining areas.  Moreover, Tanzania and East Africa generally is an aspiring future gas and petroleum producer. There are specific concerns on the prospects and risks of fossil-based resources such as Oil, Gas, and Coal in a future decarbonized global economy. Tanzania and East Africa generally has both strategic and green minerals whose role in a future clean transition could be an opportunity but significant governance challenges exist and will need to be addressed. Policy and legal regulatory gaps, community, environmental and economic justice concerns exits.

Mining is a cornerstone of Tanzania’s economy, contributing nearly 10% of GDP and over half of non-traditional exports. With rich deposits of gold, gemstones, industrial minerals, and strategic green transition minerals such as graphite, nickel, and lithium, the sector holds great promise for national development. Tanzania is a member to regional and global minerals governance frameworks such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Kimberly Process and International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) minerals certification. The government has commenced a process to institute new mining reforms, with a view of capturing more benefits from its strategic green or critical minerals.  Yet, governance and transparency challenges persist, with risks of revenue loss, community exclusion, and environmental harm. Tanzania’s mining sector includes both artisanal, small, medium and large-scale operations.

At the regional level, East Africa and the Great Lakes region host some of the continent’s richest mineral and petroleum resources. However, weak governance, mineral smuggling, low value addition, and exploitative practices have fueled conflict, poverty, and inequality. The global shift toward decarbonization also places pressure on the region to manage critical minerals responsibly while planning for a just transition away from fossil fuels.

Our program strengthens governance of Tanzania’s and the EAC and ICGLR region’s extractive sector through research, advocacy, and public awareness. We work to:

  • Promote progressive extractive policies, legal reforms, and fair taxation.

  • Enhance transparency, accountability, and community benefits.

  • Advance responsible governance of green and critical minerals.

  • Foster public dialogue on decarbonization and the future of oil and gas in a just transition.

Mining Responsible Business Conduct and Minerals Certification

Mining and processing transition minerals risk damaging landscapes, degrading biodiversity, and fueling greenhouse emissions and human rights abuses. For example, mining of gold, diamond and other precious minerals involves blasting excavation of land surfaces measuring hundreds of square miles wide thousands of kilometers deep.  Extracting just one ton of lithium as a critical mineral consumes about 2 million liters of water, with nearly half of global copper and lithium production occurring in water-stressed regions

Globally and regionally, the policy landscape has evolved, with emphasis on managing the mining sector in a manner that is consistent with Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and respect for human rights. An 2024 UN-convened expert panel report issued guiding principles and actionable recommendations to ensure that the global energy transition is pursued with equity, justice, and sustainability, explicitly warning against adverse impacts on communities. There are further concerns that competition and mining for these resources could worsen existing tensions and escalate mineral-driven conflicts in countries and mining communities. Weak policies and institutions in mineral-rich nations exacerbate such risks, rendering it imperative to navigate the transition minerals sector without adverse repercussions on human rights.

In this regard, the UN, OECD, EU and AU have developed global and regional frameworks to address the human rights, environmental, social, and governance challenges associated with transition minerals. These include the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs), the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Sourcing, the AMV and the Africa Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS), among others. These require that governments put in place adequate policies and legal measures and implement them to protect citizens against human rights harm or abuse associated with business activities.[1] Although not all frameworks may be legally binding, they provide relevant and persuasive globally accepted standards that countries can benchmark against in developing robust national minerals governance frameworks.

Moreover, regional mechanism such as the ICGLR and Kimberly Process (KP) certification mechanisms exist to enhance responsible sourcing and mitigate conflict driven. These however have governance gaps and face serious lack of political will to implement.

Our projects focus on:

  1. Promotion of Responsible Business Conduct in Mining: Promotion of sustainable and ethical mining governance frameworks and mitigation of harm caused by mining.
  2. Minerals Certification and Chain of Custody: Strengthens and promotes regional minerals certification and chain of custody mechanisms such as the Kimberly Process and ICGLR, reducing illicit and conflict minerals proliferation.

Our Activities

  1. Evidence Based Research and advocacy
  2. High Level Stakeholders and Academia interactive dialogues
  3. Support of ICGLR and UNOESGL initiatives to end mineral driven conflicts in East Africa and ICGLR Region.

GEPC’s products in the form of short analytical pieces, convenings, trainings, and advocacy renderings targeting citizens, government, institutions, and relevant actors generates knowledge, and competencies to influence reforms and practices in the short-term and long-term towards a conducive environment supporting equitable and sustainable development.”

 

Critical Minerals Governance and Management Course

Every year under this program, we offer a flagship on 8-13 Weeks Course on Critical Minerals Governance and Management

Africa is central to the global supply of critical minerals required for clean energy technologies, battery storage systems, digital infrastructure, and defence industries. Yet the governance of these minerals remains contested, with challenges including weak regulatory systems, corruption risks, environmental degradation, geopolitics and conflict-affected supply chains, illicit financial flows, and limited domestic value addition.

While critical minerals may be viewed connotatively like any other minerals, their distinct characteristics, spatially restricted distribution and significant role they will play in driving the technology to support a clean future makes them a special type of minerals warranting special governance, management and leadership emphasis.

This course equips participants with strategic, governance, compliance and development skills and tools needed to manage critical minerals responsibly, ensuring these resources support sustainable extraction, industrialization and inclusive development.  Participants further gain knowledge and understanding of the contemporary debates, the political economy, geopolitical risks and how to interact with different stakeholders, develop and manage the prerequisite regulatory landscape to drive investment into the sector in a just and sustainable development manner.

The Critical Minerals Governance and Management Course is designed to provide participants with both conceptual understanding and practical tools for influencing, designing, and implementing sustainable solutions. The course content is structured into 13 interlinked topics, each addressing a critical dimension of critical minerals governance, management and leadership in Africa.

To apply, send your support documents (Motivation letter, CV and Headshot photo) must be sent as a single PDF or word file to:  training@gepc.ortz

 

4.5 Fundraising, Resource Mobilization and Partnership:

We are actively looking for partners to support, sponsor or partner with us in delivering the projects under this program.  GEPC aspires to be a well-resourced and sustainable organization. 

For more about this program contact us via:   Tel: +255 754 844410, Email: info@gepc.or.tz or moses@gepc.or.tz  Website: www.gepc.or.tz

[1] https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/guidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf