SEMINAR REPORT The Role of Resources in Africa’s future: Towards a vision for the governance of Africa’s natural resources

This seminar report, compiled by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), documents a March 2012 meeting in Kampala, Uganda. The event brought together 44 delegates to discuss the governance of Africa's natural resources, focusing on oil, mining, and renewable resources (land, forestry, and fisheries). The report highlights the tension between the potential for wealth generation and the risks of corruption, conflict, and 'elite capture', while emphasizing the need for transparency, local community inclusion, and African-led research and policy solutions.

• The Angolan state oil company, Sonangol, is presented as a model for state-owned resource companies due to its ability to diversify into sectors such as telecoms, air transport, and cleaning services, and its role as a "major driver of national development".
• In Ghana, oil development faces challenges including the need to manage local community expectations to avoid discontent, as exports typically do not result in local growth within the first 5-10 years of production. Additionally, the Revenue Act has remained "largely present only on paper", and the exploration and production bill has not been passed despite production starting.
• The independence of South Sudan in 2011 strained relations with Sudan over oil exports, specifically regarding transit fees. Sudan demanded $36/barrel for exports via its ports, compared to an international norm of $1/barrel, leading South Sudan to shut down exports and seek alternative routes.
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) possesses significant forestry potential, with 67% of the country covered by forests, yet the sector contributes only 1% to the national GDP. This is attributed to poor governance, corruption, a cumbersome tax regime, and illegal timber trade.
• In Zimbabwe's Manicaland Province, mining for gold and diamonds is characterized by poor governance, corruption in licensing, and the use of outdated colonial laws. This has led to forced removals, pollution, and illegal digging in the Marange diamond fields.
• The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is recognized as a positive step toward international norms for transparency, with some countries like Liberia enacting it into national law. However, seminar participants concluded that EITI alone is insufficient and countries must move beyond focusing solely on payments and revenues.
• Uganda's fisheries sector supports food security and employment, but faces pressures from overfishing, under-reported artisanal fishing, and a lack of monitoring capacity and funding, which relies heavily on donors.
• The South African mining industry is described as highly polarized, with discussions dominated by big business and government. Proposed options for capturing more value include taxation, royalties, community share regimes, and mineral beneficiation.

APA

Gqada, I., Amumpiire, A., & du Preez, M.-L. (2012). SEMINAR REPORT The Role of Resources in Africa’s future: Towards a vision for the governance of Africa’s natural resources. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/The-Role-of-Resources-in-Africas-future.pdf

Chicago

Gqada, Ichumile, Anna Amumpiire, and Mari-Lise du Preez. SEMINAR REPORT The Role of Resources in Africa’s future: Towards a vision for the governance of Africa’s natural resources. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2012. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/The-Role-of-Resources-in-Africas-future.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gqada |first1=Ichumile |last2=Amumpiire |first2=Anna |last3=du Preez |first3=Mari-Lise |title=SEMINAR REPORT The Role of Resources in Africa’s future: Towards a vision for the governance of Africa’s natural resources |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=13 March 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/The-Role-of-Resources-in-Africas-future.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gqada2012seminar, author = {Gqada, Ichumile and Amumpiire, Anna and du Preez, Mari-Lise}, title = {{SEMINAR REPORT The Role of Resources in Africa’s future: Towards a vision for the governance of Africa’s natural resources}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/The-Role-of-Resources-in-Africas-future.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }