A high-level regional conference convened by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) has issued a strong call for West African governments, the African Union, and ECOWAS to adopt urgent reforms that promote equity, transparency, and climate justice in the governance of critical mineral resources.
The three-day conference—“Equity in Extraction: Addressing Inequalities in Natural Resource Governance, Critical Mineral Resources and Climate Change”—was held in Accra from 14–16 October 2025 and organised by ISODEC in partnership with IDEAs and Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission, with support from the Ford Foundation.
Bringing together researchers, policymakers, civil society groups, community leaders, labour representatives, and technical experts from across Africa, the dialogue focused on how West Africa can better manage the rising global demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese.
Participants warned that despite global interest in these minerals, persistent inequalities in resource governance have left many communities facing environmental degradation, weak social protections, and limited economic benefits. They stressed that climate change intensifies these vulnerabilities, making rights-based and climate-smart mineral governance essential.
In a communiqué, delegates adopted guiding principles centred on equity, intergenerational fairness, community rights—including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)—environmental integrity, value addition, and regional cooperation.
They urged governments to prioritise local development, address structural inequality drivers, and strengthen state oversight while ensuring the active participation of youth, women, and marginalized groups.
Among the key recommendations, participants called on the AU and ECOWAS to develop a West Africa Minerals and Critical Elements Governance Framework within 24 months.
They also asked member states to publish updated national mineral strategies within 12 months, formalize artisanal and small-scale mining, enforce environmental safeguards, and improve revenue transparency.
The communiqué further proposed a West Africa Steering Committee on Equitable Mineral Governance, an open-data portal for extractive sector information, and expanded financing support for mineral processing, community development, and environmental restoration.
The organisers emphasised that how West Africa manages its mineral endowments in the coming decade will shape the region’s contribution to a just global energy transition and determine long-term development outcomes for its people.
ISODEC, partners demand AU, ECOWAS develop minerals framework within 2yrs – GhExtractives
Source:GHExractives,com
