The Blind Spot: International Mining in Angoche and Larde, Mozambique

Image: Flickr, timquijano
Image: Flickr, timquijano

This study probes the social impacts of heavy and sand mining by international companies in Mozambique, looking specifically at how disputes are negotiated between companies, municipal and provincial governments, and civil society organizations (CSOs) representing local communities.

Disagreements on compensation to local communities, resource depletion, and labor relations are the primary source of controversy and tension. These are then exacerbated by municipal and provincial bureaucracies’ administrative negligence, and the investors’ blind spot when it comes to engagement with local communities. In terms of scale, Chinese companies in the mining sector are not comparable to multinational mining companies. Chinese firms have yet to accumulate knowledge and expertise dealing with overseas operations’ risks and challenges, particularly those involving managing environmental impact and negotiating with local communities.

The views expressed in this publication/article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).

1 Jan 2019