The government expects the Mineral Beneficiation Policy to be delivered to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah before the end of August, as it moves to accelerate local value addition and expand Namibia’s participation across the mining value chain.
Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse announced the deadline during the official opening of the 13th Chamber of Mines of Namibia Mining Expo and Conference in Windhoek on Wednesday, saying beneficiation would be central to government’s vision for the future development of the mining sector.
“This critical objective will be aggressively driven through the implementation of the mineral beneficiation policy which is currently being developed and expected to be delivered at your office, Your Excellency, by the end of this very month,” Amutse said.
Describing the event as his first Mining Expo and Conference since assuming office, Amutse said he had toured the exhibition a day earlier and was encouraged by what he had seen, reinforcing his confidence in the future of Namibia’s mining industry.
“This particular is a proud occasion for me, as it marks my very first Mining Expo and Conference event as Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy. Yesterday I had the privilege of walking the floor and touring the exhibition. I was extremely impressed with what I saw, specifically given that mining remains a very critical sector to Namibia’s economy,” he said.
Amutse said Namibia could no longer rely solely on the extraction and export of raw minerals if it wanted to unlock the full potential of its natural resource endowment.
“At the heart of our vision for this sector is the absolute necessity of local participation in the mining value chain. To truly unlock the immense potential that the mining industry has to offer to our country, we must look beyond raw material extraction,” he said.
He said the objective of increasing local participation in mining would be pursued by implementing the Mineral Beneficiation Policy.
Amutse said local beneficiation and domestic value addition were fundamental to Namibia’s long-term development and should not be viewed merely as economic slogans.
“Local beneficiation and domestic value addition are not merely economic buzzwords. They are vital imperatives for our national sovereignty and sustainable growth and this is precisely what Your Excellency has directed us to implement without hesitation,” he said.
The minister said the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy would continue working closely with the Chamber of Mines of Namibia to advance shared national objectives through an open and constructive partnership.
“Due to the immense importance of this sector to our national development, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy works closely with the Chamber of Mines, maintaining an open and productive dialogue to advance our shared national goals,” he said.
Referring to this year’s conference theme, “From Dialogue to Delivery: Assessing Progress in Creating Mining-led Economic Growth and Employment Opportunities since Namibia’s Public-Private Forum,” Amutse said the mining industry would use the conference to account for progress made in implementing commitments announced at the Namibia Public-Private Forum (NamPPF).
“I am pleased to report that the industry will provide comprehensive feedback on its progress with respect to the commitments it made at NAMPPF. I am fully confident that this is an industry capable of delivering even more for our people as we have fully aligned ourselves to the interests of our people and the country,” he said.
Amutse said his visit to the exhibition had strengthened his conviction that Namibia’s mining sector remained well positioned for future growth.
“It gives me great confidence that mining in Namibia is undoubtedly a sunrise industry and not a sunset industry,” he said.
He expressed hope that beneficiation would dominate discussions throughout the three-day conference, saying it remained one of the most important interventions needed to maximise the value derived from Namibia’s mineral resources.
“It is my hope that beneficiation shall be one of the major conversations during this event as we interact,” Amutse said.
