Announcements
Announcements
Niger is well known in international media as one of the world’s poorest countries, struggling with chronic structural hunger and malnutrition. What is less well known to many is that Niger also hosts the fourth largest uranium production in the world.
Export values totaled over 348 million Euros in 2010 alone, representing more than twice the total development assistance finance received during the same year. The exploitation of the mineral wealth (incl. uranium, gold, phosphate, coal) by international investors is expanding, with granted and requested mining permits comprising close to 10% of the national territory.
A growing body of media and NGO reports has pointed to severe environmental, social and human health impacts associated with the mining activities. In contrast, the environmental issues associated with the uranium mining sector, or mining activities in general, go seemingly without mention in the guiding documents of the principal development cooperation donors. This report asks the following questions: what progress has been achieved in the environmental governance of the uranium mining sector in Niger? What has been the contribution from development cooperation? How come donors and the Nigerien government appear to have overlooked the issues so widely reported among Nigerien actors?
Perspective / The production process of gold is rife with negative social, environmental and economic impacts. Governance is the critical issue behind the systemic problems.
Perspective / The potential for climate change to exacerbate violent conflict is manifest in Africa. Growing competition over natural resources will likely increase tensions.
Journal article / This article focuses on the state practice of Caribbean SIDS regarding the consent regime for marine scientific research under UNCLOS.
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