Tag Archives: mining

15 Mar

The Russian Carbon Fund, Aera Group pioneer the first worldwide carbon credit transaction using blockchain technology in DAO IPCI

Aera Group and the Russian Carbon Fund also announced a partnership to provide Russian buyers with direct and long term access to high quality African carbon credits

PARIS, France, March 14, 2017/APO/ —

  • Pilot transaction was executed on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 8:00 am (UTC+1:00) between the Russian Carbon Fund on the buying side and Aera Group, the largest supplier of African carbon credits, on the selling side in the DAO IPCI blockchain ecosystem with IT support of Airlab.
  • The Verified Carbon Units acquired by Russian Carbon Fund are intended to offset carbon footprint in Russia and internationally, by airline passengers, in particular.
  • Transaction rewards 1 year of blockchain application for carbon markets development undertaken by DAO IPCI team of blockchain and environmental markets experts.
  • The new CO2 exchange / blockchain platform will ensure more transparency, integrity and lower transaction costs for buyers and sellers of carbon credits and other environmental mitigation outcomes.
  • DAO IPCI has and ongoing working relationship with Backer McKenzie on the structure of the CO2 blockchain platform and transactions on the CO2 blockchain.
  • The initiative aims at raising and catalyzing pre-compliance and voluntary CO2 offsets demand and support the emergence of a Russian carbon market.
  • Russia is close to ratification the Paris Agreement and hopefully shall work on ambitious targets to reduce CO2 emissions under the Agreement, and corporates can offset their emissions and reach carbon neutrality thanks to carbon credits.
  • Aera Group and the Russian Carbon Fund also announced a partnership to provide Russian buyers with direct and long term access to high quality African carbon credits.

Anton Galenovich, Chairman of the Council of the Russian Carbon Fund: “The platform developers’ idea is to provide common space for fair competition, provide early crediting, offsetting carbon footprint opportunities for the companies, and break the barriers dividing locations and types of high quality mitigation outcomes. Russian market mechanisms are in the trial pilot phase and may have significant offsetting capacity on the supply and the demand side in near future. Russian carbon credits developed and assured under strict requirements of the Integrated Program for Climate Initiatives are still under verification process to be issued in DAO IPCI ecosystem”.

Alexey Shadrin, CEO and Founder of the Russian Carbon Fund: “We have just witnessed a truly historical moment for the global low carbon economy – the first ever blockchain based climate deal. I am sure that our successful joint effort will mark the beginning of a new era of climate cooperation between nations and help the world reach sustainable development goals”. 

Fabrice Le Saché, Aera Group Executive Chairman: “We strongly believe that Russia will become a key player of the international climate transition in the years to come. Beyond environment, this is a matter of economic competition and performance as it drives innovation. We are pleased to pioneer a market and a technology at same time. We expect to connect Russian corporates with charismatic African CO2 offset projects yielding mitigation and adaptation benefits”.

Max Gutbrod, Partner at Baker McKenzie: “Blockchain technology is ideal to increase transparency in carbon markets; we are therefore pleased and honored to be acquainted with Blockchain Ecosystem and looking forward to further contribute it to reach its global potential”.

Ivan Panov, partner at Causa Privata Law Firm: “We have seen a huge number of transactions and projects involving carbon markets and carbon credits. But this particular project is literally a pioneer, for it is based on the technology and approaches which have been never used before. This may become a real breakthrough solution for the implementation of climate projects and their financing”. […]

Read the full story here: APO

15 Feb

Linkages, investment and diversification in African mining: Ghana under the spotlight

One of the possible outcomes from the Ghana study is the potential for a national suppliers’ development programme, in partnership with the mining industry, local suppliers, and government

Mining Indaba delegates were offered a sneak preview of some ground-breaking work in Ghana, designed to unpack new approaches to linkages, investment and diversification in the country’s minerals sector during the Linkages Panel Session on 8 February 2017.

The Mining Indaba Special Information Session on 8 February 2016 shared findings from a new economic assessment on linkages and domestic procurement in Ghana, conducted jointly by the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). Ghana invited the study following its recognition of the need for upstream domestic supply linkages, diversification of the country’s economic structure, stronger involvement of the local business sector, and enhancement of its human resource and technological capabilities to create sustainable value from its mineral resources.

Kojo Busia, moderator of the panel session and Acting Coordinator of AMDC, explained that this work with Ghana will help in onboarding the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) through a country-specific mining vision, saying “The Country Mining Vision is where the ‘rubber meets the road’ in implementing the AMV. Ghana is a relatively mature mining country and there is an opportunity for the country to optimize and add value. And this transformation requires examining this from a regional dimension.”

One of the possible outcomes from the Ghana study is the potential for a national suppliers’ development programme, in partnership with the mining industry, local suppliers, and government.

Using Ghana’s experience as a springboard, the AMDC-hosted session also brought together key experts to examine the African mineral sector’s potential for deepening linkages, promote investment and pursue diversification to contribute to broader economic transformation.

The session, which is in partnership with BGR, focused on concrete opportunities in value creation within upstream linkages in the mining sector in Africa.

Johannes Danz, program officer of extractives and development at BGR, noted that the concept of producing locally needs to go beyond locally registered firms, and should involve local production and value addition. Big-ticket items should be the focus of local procurement.

Edward K. Brown, director of policy advisory service of African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) shared the Center’s assessment of local content value addition in 8 African countries. Findings indicate that as many countries have very small markets, establishing domestic manufacturers may suffer from limited demand. Thus we need to look regionally throughout ECOWAS.

As well as Johannes Danz of BGR and Edward Brown of ACET, speakers included: Tony Aubynn, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Commission, Ghana; Abraham Workwui, Newmont, Ghana; David Noko, Vice President, Sustainable Development, AngloGold Ashanti; and Suleman Koney, CEO of Ghana Chamber of Mines.

Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

02 Feb

UK to boost jobs and trade in Tanzania

Secretary of State for International Development, Priti Patel launches the DFID Economic Development strategy at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa

The UK will sharpen its focus on economic development in the world’s poorest countries to help create the economic growth that will sustain rapidly growing populations, provide a long term solution to poverty and deal with the root causes of problems that affect Britain and Tanzania, International Development Secretary Priti Patel announced on January 31st, 2017.

Over the next decade a billion more young people will enter the job market, mainly in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa’s population is set to double by 2050. This demographic challenge will add to the pressure of protracted crises and mass migration.

DFID’s first Economic Development Strategy sets out how investment in economic development will help developing nations speed up their rate of economic growth , trade more and industrialise faster, and ultimately lift themselves out of poverty.

By helping the world’s poorest countries grow their economies, this investment will help create the UK’s trading partners of the future, boost global prosperity and address some of the root causes of global issues such mass migration and instability that affect the UK.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

“There is no task more urgent than defeating poverty. The UK has a proud record of supporting people in desperate humanitarian crises, but emergency help alone won’t tackle the global changes we face.

With dramatic increases in population across Africa and Asia, developing nations must act fast to create jobs and investment, which is why Global Britain is leading a more open, more modern approach to development through our economic development to help the world’s poorest countries stand on their own two feet.

With the UK’s support, more people across Tanzania have the chance to get a job and build a brighter future for themselves and their families. The UK will continue to build this partnership between our two countries.

Over the next decade a billion more young people will enter the job market. Africa’s population is set to double by 2050 and as many as 18 million extra jobs will be needed. Failure will consign a generation to a future where jobs and opportunity are out of reach; potentially fuelling instability and mass migration with direct consequences for Britain.

Developing countries want to harness trade, growth and investment opportunities and Britain will lead the way to lift huge numbers out of grinding poverty to prosperity.”

The department will work across government to increase the number and quality of jobs in poor countries, enable businesses to grow and prosper, support better infrastructure, technology and a skilled and healthy workforce. […]

You can read the full story here: APO

 

 

 

26 Jan

Loopholes in Mali’s Export Tax Regime make it a Magnet for the Illicit Trade of Gold in West Africa

Mali’s taxation practices applicable to gold exports have turned the country into West Africa’s illicit gold trading hub, Partnership Africa Canada (www.PACweb.org) said in a report published today.

The report, The West African El Dorado: Mapping the Illicit Trade of Gold in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso, investigates challenges in the governance of artisanal gold mining in the three countries—and the vulnerabilities posed by the illicit trade of gold on the region.

The investigation finds that all countries have taken important steps towards encouraging legal trade of artisanal gold—a sector which employs an estimated three million miners in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso—such as the harmonization of export taxes at 3%. Yet, Partnership Africa Canada found that Mali’s application of export taxes to only the first 50kg of gold per month is promoting smuggling, as traders bring gold over the border into Mali to get a large tax break.

“Mali’s harmful implementation of tax laws is cause for concern in the region, as it actively drives the illicit trade of gold. Mali’s neighbours are missing out on important revenue from taxes as traders smuggle gold over borders to take advantage of the tax break,” said Joanne Lebert, Partnership Africa Canada’s Executive Director.

“Importantly, export statistics from Mali are painting a worrying trend and it is up to international refiners and buyers to exercise additional due diligence on gold exported from the country to ensure the gold is clean,” added Lebert.

An analysis of gold production and trade statistics in Mali, as well as declared imports from the United Arab Emirates of Malian gold spotlighted major inconsistencies in the declared data. Over a four year period, UAE imports of Malian gold successively exceeded Mali’s entire gold production. Mali declared 40 tonnes of gold produced in 2013—while UAE declared 49.6 tonnes imported. In 2014, the figure rose with Mali declaring production at 45.8 and UAE declaring 59.9 in Malian gold imports.

Since much of Mali’s industrial production is exported to Swiss and South African refiners, Partnership Africa Canada found little explanation for the discrepancy. The extent of the illicit gold trade in Mali raises concerns about regional peace and stability and highlights the need for refining centres to exercise additional due diligence on imports.

Partnership Africa Canada calls on Mali to undertake a comprehensive review of its tax regime to address the loopholes that make it magnet for gold produced in West Africa. Additionally, the report calls on the Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre in the UAE to ban hand-carried imports of gold and demonstrate greater oversight over gold imports.

The report also calls on gold producing countries in West Africa to harmonize policies and practices in the gold sector through a Regional Approach, similar to that currently being implemented in the Mano River Union on diamond governance.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Partnership Africa Canada (PAC).