Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is expected to benefit from the Asean-Africa Mineral Investment Forum (AAMIF) through the opportunity to showcase its mineral potential including possession of large deposits of critical minerals.
The forum, slated to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, at the end of the year, aims at promoting critical mineral resources by attracting partnerships and encouraging the establishment of value addition and manufacturing industries in African countries.
It is expected to attract over 30 African countries including investors and financiers across the world.
It has been organised by the Asean Africa Minerals Investment Forum Committee-Africa in collaboration with different chambers of commerce and organisations from Thailand.
The forum envisages presenting a significant opportunity for Asean and African countries to enhance their mining sectors and forge strategic partnerships that can drive sustainable economic growth and development.
A communique issued by the AAIMF shows that Tanzania, being the home to a wide range of critical minerals including rare earth elements, intends to increase mineral earnings to $6.6 billion by 2027, which is equivalent to Sh17. 16 trillion.
A geologist, Dr Dalaly Kafumu, who is former Commissioner for Minerals and former Member of Parliament, told The Citizen that Tanzanian ambition was to stimulate partnerships that would attract more investors in the exploration, mining, and processing of critical minerals in Africa.
“By doing so, the continent can play a beneficial leading role in the global critical minerals supply chains,” he said.
“Secondly, we expect to promote and encourage investors from developed countries on the continent’s mineral value addition as well as establishing and expanding local mineral value chains that could ensure more employment and increased value from the minerals,” he added.
Further, Dr Kafumu said the forum is expected to fuel investments in the smelting, refining, and manufacturing of mineral-based goods on the continent.
According to Dr Kafumu, Tanzania is home to over 24 varieties of critical minerals including, lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper, rare earth elements (REE), titanium, and vanadium, among others.
However, he said only a few of these minerals were currently being explored including graphite, copper, nickel, cobalt, titanium, rare earth elements, lithium, and vanadium.
He noted that Tanzania can leverage these minerals and become a world player, noting that the forum acquires a pivotal role in the economic development bowl of the country.
The Asean-Africa chairman, Mr Idrissa Songoro, said during the forum, different experts from Tanzania and other parts of the world will have an opportunity to present papers on the importance of critical minerals in the energy transition aimed at ensuring that the world moves away from fossils-based energy to clean energy in the world’s climate change mitigation efforts.
“There will be critical discussions on the significance of critical minerals in various fields such as renewable energy to curb climate change, electronics, defence, and healthcare,” he said.
Further, he said there will be an analysis of resource security and geopolitical dynamics regarding critical mineral scarcity and competition, including geopolitical risks, trade tensions, and strategies for diversifying supply sources and reducing dependencies on single suppliers or regions.
He said exhibitions and the engagements of various players such as financial institutions like banks and trusts, exploration and mining companies, hi-tech electronic companies, and investors of all kinds will play out.
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
New lawsuit as Zanzibar airport controversy continues
Another company joins the list as they file a petition challenging the exclusive rights granted to Dnata by Zanzibar Airports Authority.Continue Reading
Elon Musk’s company to launch internet in Tanzania
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service is expected to be available in Tanzania in the first quarter of 2023, with analysts saying the new development will boost the digital economy.Continue Reading
