MALAWI: Gov’t bans export of gemstones, precious minerals

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Malawi has frozen exports of gemstones and precious minerals and stopped issuing new mineral export licences while it reforms the way the sector is administrated, the government said late Wednesday.

The southern African nation has significant mineral deposits, including uranium, rubies and sapphires but, unlike its neighbours, has yet to maximise their benefits.

“This measure has been taken in order to sanitise the mining sector as the ministry will be undertaking some reforms to bring in efficiency and transparency in the mineral rights administration,” mining minister Joseph Mkandawire said in a post on Facebook.

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The export ban comes into force “with immediate effect” and will last until further notice, the mining ministry said in a separate statement.

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The decision followed an order by the country’s vice president to review all existing contracts – a procedure scheduled to take 21 days.

France has spent years preparing a “reorganisation” of military relations after the forced departure of its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where military-led governments hostile to the ex-colonial ruler have seized power in recent years.

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“Although the EU EOM did not observe systematic flaws during the voting process, the subsequent counting phase lacked in transparency and insufficient safeguards to ensure the integrity of the count,” it said.