This Monday, July 14, the Government began a series of provincial public consultation seminars aimed at revising the legal framework for the mining, petroleum, gas, and energy sectors. The opening session is being held in Maxixe, Inhambane Province, under the leadership of the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Estêvão Pale, according to the news portal Carta de Moçambique.
A statement from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, released on Sunday, July 13, states that the public consultation will run from July 14 to 21 in all provinces except Maputo City and Province. The sessions are expected to include extractive industry operators, communities affected by the projects, civil society organizations, media outlets, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
The process to revise the legal framework began on March 31, as part of broader structural reforms to strengthen the contribution of the extractive sector to the national economy. With this revision, the government aims to ensure greater transparency in the management of natural resources and combat practices that harm the State.
According to Minister Estêvão Pale, “the goal is to ensure that the sector contributes to the country’s development” and that resources benefit Mozambican citizens. “Our commitment is to have a sector that generates tangible benefits for all, that is transparent, and that, through an updated legal framework, positions Mozambique as an energy leader in the region and globally,” he said at the launch of the process.
The seminars will discuss the draft laws on Mining, Petroleum, and Local Content, as well as proposed regulations for the Electricity Law and the Concessions and Universal Access Fee (TAU). The government justifies the revision of the Mining Law, which has been in force for over 11 years, citing new dynamics such as changes in the global mineral market resulting from the energy transition, along with practical implementation challenges like overlapping rights, lack of control over geological data, and technical limitations on the part of the State.
Key objectives of the Mining Law revision include:
- Modernizing the legal regime
- Promoting domestic industrialization
- Defining rules for State involvement in the sector
- Restructuring relevant entities
- Strengthening support for SMEs in the industry
Regarding the Petroleum Law, also in force for 11 years, the government aims to increase State revenues, strengthen the regulator’s role, and enhance the participation of the National Hydrocarbon Company (ENH) in petroleum operations. The proposed revision also includes measures to promote access for national entrepreneurs to the oil industry value chain, with a focus on job creation and enabling shareholding through the Mozambique Stock Exchange (BVM).
This Monday, the public consultation takes place in the provinces of Inhambane, Manica, and Nampula. On Wednesday (16th), the seminars will be held in Gaza, Tete, and Niassa, followed by Zambézia on Friday (18th). The cycle concludes the following Monday (21st) in the provinces of Sofala and Cabo Delgado. During these sessions, participants will have access to the draft documents, and their feedback will be collected.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy emphasizes that the public consultation is an opportunity for all stakeholders to actively participate in building a more equitable, efficient, and inclusive extractive sector.
Source: DE
