Mining for Sustainable Development - A missed opportunity

In the 1980s, foreign investment in the large-scale commercial mining industry boomed in many developing countries. In spite of this, a similar boom in sustainable development has not taken place.

Donors and NGOs should help to turn these mining activities into sustainable development for poor countries that are rich in minerals. Instead of shying away, they should engage their development expertise and technical assistance. This would help increase the spill-over of economic gains into local societies in a just and sustainable manner.

However, some NGOs explicitly state that they do not wish to offer their expertise if it will benefit large-scale commercial mining activities. Their reluctance rests on the idea that the negative environmental, social and governance impacts outweigh any possible economic and social benefit.

This is a missed opportunity: For some developing countries the mineral sector represents the only opportunity to attract foreign capital. And the investments made within the mining industry should not be underestimated - there are examples of mining areas which have flourished with infrastructural and economic growth. Donors and NGOs should get into the battle and help this kind of positive results gain foothold through productive and economic links between the mining companies and their host countries.