Namibia’s Cabinet has approved a new national policy governing prospecting and mining in protected and environmentally sensitive areas, introducing stricter environmental safeguards while seeking to balance mineral development with biodiversity conservation.
The National Policy on Prospecting and Mining in Protected Areas, Other Areas with High-Value Species and Environmentally Sensitive Areas provides a framework for regulating exploration and mining activities in national parks, communal conservancies, community forests, game farms and other areas of ecological, cultural or conservation significance.
Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus said the policy is designed to support responsible mineral development while safeguarding the country’s natural ecosystems and cultural heritage.
“Cabinet approved the National Policy on Prospecting and Mining in Protected Areas, Other Areas with High Value Species and Environmentally Sensitive Areas, which aimed to develop integrated and sustainable prospecting and mining in Namibia to support economic growth, whilst maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem and natural resources and avoiding degradation of areas highly sensitive for the ecological, social, and/or cultural heritage value,” she said during the latest Cabinet briefing.
The policy was jointly developed by the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism amid growing global attention on the environmental impact of mining projects and the rising demand for critical minerals.
A central feature of the policy is the introduction of a Decision Support Tool, which will assess ecological, social and cultural heritage sensitivities before prospecting or mining licences are considered. The government said the tool is intended to ensure that licensing decisions are informed by objective environmental assessments.
Mining projects approved in environmentally sensitive areas will face stricter regulatory requirements, including comprehensive environmental management plans, enforceable financial guarantees for mine rehabilitation and continuous environmental monitoring throughout the life of a project.
The policy also establishes exclusion zones to protect biodiversity hotspots and critical conservation areas from mining activities that could cause irreversible environmental damage.
In addition, mining companies will be required to comply with enhanced Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements, ongoing environmental monitoring and mandatory rehabilitation of mine sites following closure.
Namibia is one of Africa’s leading mining jurisdictions and a major producer of uranium, diamonds, gold and zinc. The country is also positioning itself as a future supplier of critical minerals, making the new policy a key framework for balancing resource development with environmental protection.
