Local content policies in the West Africa mining sector

The African Mining Vision advocates a structural transformation of the mining sector in Africa by strengthening, inter alia, the promotion of the local market for mining goods and services. This vision necessarily calls for effective, sustainable strategies and policies for the equitable and optimal development of mineral resources. To this end, the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) do generally promote an optional partnership between foreign and domestic mining operators. However, the promotion of an operational market for mining goods and services between said operators is far from being a major concern for governments. In Senegal for instance, although the new Senegalese Mining Code entered into force on 8 November 2016 seems to provide some incentives aiming at allowing local companies to provide goods and services to meet the expectations of multinationals, it does not create an environment for more competitive partnerships between local and foreign suppliers of mining goods and services. This confirms that economic and sustainable dimension of local content is not adequately addressed under this new Code.