A study of the harmonisation of national mining policies conducted by the United Nations Economic Council for Africa (UNECA) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2009 concluded that “As large-scale mining activities increase, Malawi should benefit from a SADC-wide approach to sharing best practices, particularly in those areas in which it has no direct experience” (UNECA/SADC 2009: 17). Sharing best practice remains pertinent today as highlighted by key informants interviewed in this study from all stakeholder groups and given that Malawi is committed to the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) and SADC Protocol on Mining and Harmonisation Framework. Beyond sharing best practice, regional harmonisation, integration and cooperation will improve the outcomes for Malawi's extractive industries through, as the AMV elucidates, “transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development”. The shape and direction of the relationships between SADC member states in and for the mining sector are already determined in the existing aforementioned agreed Vision, Protocol and Framework; however, the pace and extent of implementation is uneven across the region and it is important that implementation is reviewed in terms of progress, challenges and benefits, which is related to country context and variable geometry in the region.This country study was commissioned by the Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa's project Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) under its project “Harmonisation of Mining, Policies, Legislations and Regulations in Southern Africa”. The overall goal of this project is to design a regional mining harmonisation framework to support the regional industrialisation policy, mineral ownership and regional development, which is line with the AMV.

This book explores the impacts of current mining licensing regimes in Africa and how they influence sustainable development principles. International law and conventions on mining are used as a lens to examine a regionalized perspective of the history of mining law and customary land law. Alternative approaches are then suggested, through a comparative and sovereignty-based study of mining laws and policies, to see how the challenge of uneven development can be combatted using minerals. This book aims to highlight how mineral possessions can transform communities if the economic policies, customary law structures, and the geopolitical landscape guarantee inclusivity and equal partnerships. It will be relevant to researchers and policymakers interested in mineral economics, mining law, and African economies.

2011 Updated Reprint. Updated Annually. Capital for African Countries Handbook

2011 Updated Reprint. Updated Annually. Malawi Mining Laws and Regulations Handbook