AMN - Rwanda seeks more investment – comment by Yolanda Torrisi

Rwanda is seeking to attract investment into its mining sector to enable it to increase mineral exports and boost revenues from mineral resources. The small central African country aims to generate US$800 million by 2020 and US$1.5 billion dollars by 2024 from mineral export revenues.

Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board chief executive officer Francis Gatare said last week that the country has a great opportunity of using its mineral resources, particularly tantalum, to drive its industrialisation, diversification and overall economic transformation.

He said the mining sector in Rwanda, which was among the fastest growing economies in Africa, presented different investment opportunities including mineral exploration, mining, value addition and industrial training.

Rwanda is among the world’s top producers of tantalum ore, with the Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board stating that it produces more than 60 per cent of the much-needed quantity onto the global market.

More than 2,000 tonnes of tantalum ore were produced and exported for the period of July 2017 to June 2018, the board said, and it has estimated that tantalum production in Rwanda is expected to exceed 2,500 tonnes in 2018.

Gatare was speaking during the 59th Annual General Assembly of Tantalum-Niobium that was held in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. The three-day meeting attracted more than 150 experts in the tantalum and niobium industry supply chain from more than 25 countries around the world.

The assembly included technical sessions, a visit to a working artisanal tantalite mine and a number of tours in Rwanda.

During the assembly, delegates explored a wide range of issues affecting tantalum and niobium technological development and consumption.

Neighbouring Malawi has also been making encouraging comments about encouraging investment into its mining sector to aid economic development.

- Yolanda Torrisi is Chairperson of The African Mining Network and comments on African mining issues and the growing global interest in the continent. Contact:yolanda@yolandatorrisi.com