From November 30 to December 2, 2021, the IGF supported delivering a training on Mine Closure and Rehabilitation in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, implementing IGF’s Mining Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Tool (MET). The training was organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of its Regional Governance of the Extractive Sector in West Africa program. The program works to make the mining sector more socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable in the four countries of the Mano River Union. In Côte d’Ivoire, GIZ supports the three state institutions that oversee the environmental aspects of the extractive sector, namely the National Environment Agency (ANDE), the Directorate General of Mines and Geology (DGMG), and the Ivorian Anti-Pollution Center (CIAPOL) on joint monitoring of environmental and social impacts.
In the training on mine closure and rehabilitation, various experts—including IGF experts, international consultants, and national experts—shared their knowledge on the current legal framework and practices in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as technical knowledge and good practices from other countries.
The IGF used the MET to help participants identify gaps in the county’s ESIA legal framework and institutional practices regarding mine closure and post-closure planning and implementation. After examining the gaps identified via the MET and knowledge gained from the training, participants identified priorities and presented a draft road map to improve the governance of ESIA and closure to the Ministry of Mining and Geology during the last session of the training.
In addition, participants discussed key issues, including the country’s vision for mine closure and post-mining transition; the hierarchy of closure needs; and best practices for closure monitoring, public engagement, and financial assurance, drawing on lessons learned from IGF’s recently published Global Review: Financial Assurance Governance for the Post-Mining Transition.
The Secretariat is seeking to deploy the MET for other countries seeking to improve their legal framework for mining ESIA. Interested governments should contact Clémence Naré, Outreach Manager and Law Advisor, IGF, at cnare@iisd.ca. To learn more about our MET tool and hear what other government officials have to say about it, click here.