Duration of Namibian Moratorium on Marine Phosphate Mining

In recent days local and international media reports referred to the Namibian Moratorium on Marine Phosphate Mining as being for 18 months.

This is not factually correct. It is imperative that attention is again drawn to the fact that the period of the Moratorium will indeed be THREE years with an extension not excluded.

On 17 September 2013 the Namibian Cabinet decided to impose a moratorium for 18 months on marine phosphate mining. However, on 16 December 2013 the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources made the following announcements relating to the Moratorium when he gave an interview to NAMPA (Namibia Press Agency):

• In September 2013 his Ministry had made a submission to Cabinet to place an 18-month moratorium on deep-sea phosphate mining and that was endorsed by Cabinet. He then went on to explain that the “submission included an addendum which stipulated a moratorium of three years”.

• Furthermore, he added that “the scoping period will determine the end date of the moratorium”.

• The Norwegian-based Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) have been asked to study the impact of marine phosphate mining on the ocean environment.

• He also stressed that “environmental clearances can only be granted after adequate research had been conducted and therefore, a moratorium period is required to carry out these studies”.

(SM conveyed the above in its SM 12 – 2013 on 19 December 2013)

It is especially important that due note is taken of the above comments by the Minister as a report by the news agency, Reuters, on 25 March 2014 states that “Israel’s LGC aims to mine phosphate off Namibian coast by 2018”. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/fertilizers-namibia-sea-idUSL5N0MM45P20140325

On one point the Minister was very emphatic: Only once the Moratorium has ended will environmental clearances be granted.

(For Swakopmund Matters the environment of the Namibian coastline and its ocean matters)
Swakopmund Matters 25 March 2014