Calls for raw minerals export ban to be legislated

Swapo backbencher Natangue Ithete has called on the legislation of president Hage Geingob’s decision to ban the export of minerals in raw form.

Geingob announced the ban about a week ago while addressing the Namibia-European Union (EU) Business Forum in Brussels, Belgium.

“Namibia’s economy is linked to the extraction and processing of minerals for export, contributing significantly to our gross domestic product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings.

“However, we are no longer going to export raw minerals,” the president said.

According to Geingob, this ban aims to improve the sustainability of the extractive industry and develop local processing, refining, recovery, and recycling capacity in Namibia.

Ithete says if the president’s statement is not formulated into a policy, it would remain a statement.

He yesterday told The Namibian that the ministries of agriculture, water and land reform, mines and energy, fisheries and marine resources, and environment, forestry and tourism should turn the president’s statement into a policy to implement it.

“As the minister of finance and public enterprises tables the mid-term budget review today [yesterday], I expect the ministry to realign the resources to influence the policy of the country to implement the statement of the president,” Ithete said.

Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo yesterday agreed with Ithete that Geingob’s pronouncement should be legislated.

Nekongo said the parliamentary standing committee on natural resources, of which he is a member, is currently seized with the matter.

In a statement on Monday, the SPYL said it welcomes the government’s decision to ban the exportation of mineral resources in raw form.

The youth league said at its congress held at Ongwediva last year that it has deliberated on the issue.

“The seventh congress of the SPYL passed a resolution for execution by the government to ban the exportation of mineral resources without value addition,” the SPYL said in a statement.

Former Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) member of parliament Anton von Wietersheim says he agrees with Geingob’s statement in principle.

“I believe most legislative provisions are in place or can be regulated. However, the problem is implementation without disruption, such as breach of contract, loss of employment, and loss of income for business and state,” he says.

Von Wietersheim says the principle of adding value to the country’s natural resources was recognised at independence, but regarding implementation the country requires confident investors, skilled labour, and political will and guidance.

“These, to my mind, are preconditions to successful implementation. Unfortunately, Namibia is sorely lacking most of those and would be well-advised to concentrate on fast-tracking those preconditions before implementing noble but unrealistic intentions,” he says.

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says the country should add value to its resources prior to export.

“In principle it’s a good idea and we should strive towards that, but in practice it comes with a challenge – especially because we don’t have manufacturers to add value,” he says.

Kamwanyah says the country lacks expertise, and it would take many years to establish local institutions and companies to add value to mineral resources.

RDP president Mike Kavekotora says Geingob’s statement is meaningless.

“He left Namibia silently in the middle of the illegal export of lithium and other minerals without instructing his executives to work on a policy pronouncement.

“What is the significance of the president making such a statement in a foreign country?” he asks.

Kavekotora says the president should have made the statement by putting measures in place to back up and ensure a proper implementation strategy.

“Banning the export of our mineral resources in raw form requires proactive planning and a well thought-out approach to ensure effective implementation.

“The president as the head of state must act with due care and diligence. Making such a pronouncement without a policy backup is tantamount to irresponsibility,” he says.

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