The Minister of Energy and Minerals, Eng. Ahmed Jama Barre, has launched a transformative pilot project in the Shirwac area of the Awdal region to reorganize and empower artisanal miners. The initiative aims to harness the potential of small-scale mining while promoting sustainable practices nationwide.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Barre emphasized the project’s significance:
“We are here today to reform the artisanal mining sector in the Shirwac area, which falls under the Awdal region. This pilot project seeks to organize miners across the country, and we hope it will succeed. This is not the end, but a starting point to apply this approach in all regions so they can benefit.”
The initiative focuses on enhancing miners’ skills, upgrading equipment, and raising awareness to maximize output while minimizing environmental and health risks. Barre noted the global prevalence of artisanal mining and Somaliland’s opportunity to align with best practices:
“Artisanal miners are not unique to Somaliland; they exist worldwide. No country lacks them, and there are ways to benefit from and utilize their work. By training people, raising their awareness, improving their skills, and upgrading their equipment without causing harm, we can benefit from the resources they extract while they also gain from their efforts.”
The Minister underscored the government’s commitment to responsible resource extraction, ensuring benefits for both the nation and local communities. He highlighted the need to align miners’ efforts with their output:
“We must unite the efforts of those extracting minerals. The government has a general policy to ensure that gold and other resources are extracted responsibly, without harming the environment or the people, and in a way that benefits both the nation and the government. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness among the local community, enhance their knowledge, and add value to what we produce. You mine gold all day and produce something, but does the effort you put in match the output? We are here to align these two aspects.”
The Ministry is actively evaluating the miners’ contributions and their environmental impact, with plans to scale the pilot’s successes to other regions. This project marks a significant step toward formalizing Somaliland’s artisanal mining sector, fostering economic growth, and promoting sustainable development.
Artisanal mining refers to small-scale, often informal mining operations carried out with basic tools and minimal mechanization, typically by individuals or small groups. It’s common in developing countries, especially in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia, where it provides livelihoods for millions but often operates outside formal regulations.
Key Points:
- Scope and Scale: Involves manual labor using tools like picks, shovels, and pans. Targets minerals like gold, diamonds, cobalt, and coltan, often in remote areas.
- Economic Role: Supports over 40 million people globally, per estimates from the World Bank and industry reports. It’s a critical income source in regions with limited job opportunities.
- Challenges:
- Environmental Impact: Deforestation, water pollution (e.g., mercury use in gold mining), and soil degradation are rampant.
- Health and Safety: Miners face risks like cave-ins, toxic exposure, and lack of protective gear. Child labor is a persistent issue in some areas.
- Informality: Most operations lack legal permits, leading to conflicts with governments or large mining companies.
- Social Dynamics: Can empower local communities but also fuels exploitation, corruption, or conflict (e.g., “blood diamonds” or cobalt in the Congo).
- Efforts for Improvement: Initiatives like Fairmined certification and blockchain tracking aim to formalize and ensure ethical practices, though adoption is slow.