by Justice Lee Adoboe
ACCRA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- African leaders urged greater local mineral processing to retain more value on the continent at the opening of a mining summit in Accra on Monday.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who opened the three-day Mining in Motion Summit in the Ghanaian capital, said Ghana, for instance, is working to phase out the export of unprocessed mineral ores completely by 2030 and promote local processing to retain more economic value from the country's mineral resources.
He said the government would introduce the necessary legal measures, mineral-specific requirements, and clear implementation timelines to support the proposed reforms.
This is the line African mining countries should adopt, Mahama urged, calling for investments by African countries in processing facilities, reliable energy, haulage infrastructure, technology, skills, and financing.
"For generations, my country, Ghana, has been shipping a lot of our manganese and bauxite through the port in Takoradi. Much of this material has supplied industries in other parts of the world, while we have imported the finished products made from these mineral ores," Mahama said.
He said that Ghana, therefore, seeks to move beyond extracting and exporting minerals in their raw form to processing them locally and using them to drive industrial development.
On his part, Liberian Vice President Jeremiah Koung said Africa needs to embrace common values on mineral development while respecting their individual national circumstances.
Koung said that African countries need to cooperate in establishing regional infrastructure, reliable geological information, clear mineral agreements, community benefits, and responsible artisanal and small-scale mining.
Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, African Union commissioner for economic development, trade, tourism, industry and minerals, singled out Ghana's mineral sector reforms being spearheaded by the Gold Board (GoldBod) as an example of how reforms in the mineral sector could help African countries strengthen foreign exchange reserves, support currency stability and build more resilient economies.
"The establishment of the Ghana GoldBod illustrates how mineral sector reform can serve broader national development objectives by improving foreign exchange, strengthening international reserves, supporting currency stability, and macroeconomic resilience," Belobe noted.
Belobe said that Ghana's efforts to strengthen local content, domestic enterprises, and mineral value addition provide important lessons for other African countries.
She advocated for stronger implementation of the African Mining Vision, the African Green Minerals Strategy, and the African Continental Free Trade Area to support regional value chains.
Belobe, therefore, urged the continent to move away from mineral extraction alone to processing, manufacturing, and the development of competitive African businesses.
The Mining in Motion Summit is a continental platform advancing Africa's mineral future through policy alignment, coordination, and implementation.
