Burkina Faso's junta halts export permits for artisanal gold mining: summary

The Wider Image: Gold miners bring fresh wave of suffering to Brazil's Yanomami

Felipe Finger, head of the Special Inspection Group from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), displays confiscated gold during an operation against illegal mining in Yanomami Indigenous land, at a farm in rural Boa Vista, Roraima state, Brazil, December 7, 2023. "This is war because people are dying. Hundreds of Yanomami have died in the humanitarian crisis, and they are Brazilians too," said Finger. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH "MARCELINO BRAZIL YANOMAMI" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Source: X07800

What we know

Burkina Faso's military junta has abruptly halted the issuance of export permits for artisanal and semi-mechanised gold, as well as other precious commodities, with immediate effect, according to a statement dated Feb. 20.
The suspension is attributed to the government's commitment to cleansing the sector and enhancing the organization of gold and precious substance marketing. The duration of this suspension has not been specified.
According to the 2019 Crisis Group report, artisanal production contributes nearly half of industrially produced gold in the Sahel region of West Africa, including Burkina Faso.
Thus far, mining groups holding materials for export are directed to contact the National Society for Precious Commodities (SONAP) for compensation, Reuters reports.
Gold constitutes a significant portion of Burkina Faso's exports, making up 37% of the total in 2020, and the mining industry is a primary source of employment. Burkina Faso reportedly mines around 10–30 tonnes of artisanal gold, and the sector employs over one million people.

What they said

A statement from the military junta read, "This suspension follows the need to clean up the sector and reflects the government's desire to better organise the marketing of gold and other precious substances.” The junta further asserted that this action is aimed at addressing inefficiencies and guaranteeing that the nation's abundant natural resources contribute to the country's overall prosperity. This decision unfolds against a backdrop of heightened examination of artisanal mining practices. While these practices sustain the livelihoods of millions, they have faced criticism for causing environmental harm and playing a role in regional conflicts.

Etornam Kornu