SARW hosted several events in September and October 2023 related to resource governance and climate action in Africa. This included a high-level meeting on climate change, critical minerals, and energy transition during the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. SARW also participated in discussions at the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba on just energy transitions. Upcoming in November, SARW will facilitate community dialogues and documentary production in Zambia focused on women's voices on climate change.

1. www.sarwatch.co.za
2023
MONTHLY
NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER
Prepared For:
SARW: NAVIGATING
SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
THROUGH RESOURCE
GOVERNANCE AND INCLUSIVE
CLIMATE ACTION.

2. ALERT!
SARW HAS RELAUNCHED
ITS WEBSITE
SARW is thrilled to share the news of the relaunch of its new-look
website dedicated to resource governance. The website is designed
to provide a comprehensive and easy-to-use platform to explore
abundant information and insights on resource governance, climate
change, energy transition, and more. With a user-friendly interface,
one can easily navigate the website to discover a world of
resources and insights. We encourage you to tour our new website
and discover how SARW's platform can empower you with
knowledge and insights on resource governance. The platform is
designed to make it easier for users to access valuable information
to help them make informed decisions on resource governance.

3. 02 SARW Newsletter
In Nairobi, Kenya, on September 5th, 2023, SARW hosted a meeting to address Africa's
critical minerals and their pivotal role in the global energy transition. Organised by the
Southern Africa Resource Watch in partnership with the Southern Africa Trust, this event was
convened as a side event to the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS), held from
September 4th to 6th, 2023. The meeting drew participants from critical mineral-producing
countries in Southern Africa, inter-governmental organisations, the private sector, civil
society, and academia.
The High-Level Meeting on Climate Change Action, Critical Minerals, and Energy Transition
in Africa was a gathering of experts, policymakers, and stakeholders dedicated to
addressing the challenges of climate change and the shift towards sustainable energy
sources. The event provided a platform for exchanging ideas and solutions to these complex
issues, with a diverse and knowledgeable group of participants contributing their expertise.
Throughout the meeting, dynamic discussions and innovative proposals took centre stage.
Discussions at the meeting included Africa's pivotal role in global climate change policy and
the importance of Critical Minerals in the transition to sustainable energy. The urgent need
to transition to cleaner energy sources, safeguard vulnerable communities and critical
ecosystems, and collaborate regionally was emphasised. The discussions also highlighted
the vital role of Green Minerals in Africa for decarbonisation, economic growth, and job
creation. The meeting underscored the collective commitment to forging a sustainable and
climate-resilient future. Read more
SARW hosts a High-Level meeting on
Climate, Minerals, and Africa's Role
during the Africa Climate Summit

4. 03
SARW NEWSLETTER
SARW undertakes the amplification
of women’s voices on Climate
Change in Southern Africa
The University of Stanford, based in the USA, is
working on a project to develop a generative
exploration manual on ESG expectations for
mining companies during the exploration phase.
The manual will guide explorers and ESG teams
on engaging with communities during the
exploration phase. Recently, a team of two
university lecturers, Jeff Caers and Sofia Salas,
visited SARW in Zambia to gain insights into the
best community engagement practices during the
early stages of mineral exploration in Zambia.
University of Stanford -Visits SARW in
Zambia
In its quest to strengthen its profile on Climate
change and gender portfolio of the work on natural
resources in the SADC region, SARW, in partnership
with the Southern Africa Trust (SAT), is implementing
a 12-month project titled “Promoting voice, agency,
and inclusion of women on climate change, just
transition, and natural resources governance in
southern Africa.” The project aims to facilitate a
participatory documentary production process in
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, and
Malawi.
So far, the project has commenced the process of
community dialogue and documentation of women's
activities in Malawi and Zambia. SARW has
partnered with the Foundation for Community
Support Services (FOCUS) in Malawi. In Zambia, the
Zambia Rural Women Assembly has been identified
to collaborate with in executing this intervention.
Whilst in Zimbabwe, the focus is on the gruelling
impacts of Cyclone Idai 4 years after the disaster.
The PROGRESS Consortium, consisting of
Freedom House, the American Bar Association
(ABA), Internews, and PACT, with support from
USAID, has been implementing the Advancing
Rights in Southern Africa (ARISA) Program. The
main goal of this program was to improve the
recognition, awareness, and enforcement of
human rights in the region, especially for
vulnerable and marginalised groups. The five-
year project ended in October 2023. SARW, a
partner working in the Women's customary land
rights thematic area, participated in the project
closure learning roundtable held in
Johannesburg on September 28, 2023. During
the discussion, several crucial issues were
highlighted, including the paramount concern of
business and human rights in the area. Notably,
the relationship between customary laws and
large-scale investments was also a significant
topic of discussion. The creation of a training
manual was identified as a key measure to equip
individuals with practical skills and relevant
knowledge to determine the best practices to be
adopted and shared.
SARW takes part in the ARISA
Final Lessons Learned &
Information Dissemination
Roundtable
Roshnee ARISA Program Manager Chairing a panel discussion on
Land Rights experiences in the region

5. 04 SARW Newsletter
The 7th DRC AMI occurred from September 26th to 27th, 2023 at the KinPlaza Arjaan by
Rotana Hotel. The event's theme was "Promotion of Good Governance and Revenue
Mobilization of the Mining Sector in the Context of the Energy Transition in the Democratic
Republic of Congo". The technical and financial support for this work was provided by
Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the European Union (EU)
and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).
The objective of the 7th DRC AMI was to explore how the Democratic Republic of Congo
can take advantage of its abundant minerals for the energy transition. The event focused on
promoting good governance and revenue mobilization in the mining sector.
SARW Hosts the 7th Edition of the
Alternative Mining Indaba of the
Democratic Republic Of Congo
The discussions during the AMI focused on the following four sub-themes: the role of
regulatory bodies and the judiciary in the fight against corruption in the mining sector,
energy transition, strategic resources and revenue maximization for economic development,
synergies to be put in place by tax and mining administrations for revenue mobilization and
the fight against corruption and impact of disputes between the Government and investors
over the management of mining projects.
Approximately 200 people participated in the debates that led to the formulation of
recommendations addressed to the Government, businesses and civil society organisations.
The participants included the Presidency of the Republic, the Government, businesses, local
communities and civil society, and women's and youth organisations participating in the
youth symposium.

6. 05
SARW NEWSLETTER
Georges Bokondu (PD-
SARW), HE Rose Mutombo
(Ministry of Justice) & Dr
Claude Kabemba (ED-
SARW)

7. 06 SARW Newsletter
As part of the project executed in partnership with Electronics Watch, a training was
organised from 10 to 11 October 2023 for 30 members of mining cooperatives in the town of
Kolwezi, capital of Lualaba Province in the DRC. This training responded to the need to
strengthen the capacities of mining cooperatives, which are the first structures authorised
to supervise artisanal mining. According to the Mining Code, artisanal mining is reserved
only for Congolese natural persons, holding an artisanal miner's card and a member of a
mining cooperative. This is defined as a group of artisanal miners. This legal provision is not
effectively complied with in practice. Hence there is a need to hear the voice of
cooperative leaders on this issue.
SARW leads the Training of cooperative
leaders and visits to artisanal mining
sites
A group of around thirty representatives from mining cooperatives in Lualaba Province
participated in a training session to exchange experiences. This activity's outcome was to
identify problems along with their respective solutions. Additionally, the training allowed the
mining cooperatives to showcase their socio-economic achievements in support of the local
communities.
A visit to two mining cooperatives followed this training. These are the Mining Cooperative
for Development and Social (CMDS) and the Artisanal Mining Cooperative of Katanga
(COMAKAT). In these two cooperatives, we observed the working conditions of artisanal
miners and all stakeholders in the artisanal mineral supply chain.
This training was aimed for the
exchange of experiences on the
rights of local communities in the
Mining Code, the Mining
Cooperative: creation, organization
and operation, due diligence in the
mineral supply chain: requirements
of industrialists and end consumers,
the financial management of
mining cooperatives and
mechanisms for access to finance
for mining cooperatives.

8. At the CMDS, women washers have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that
they purchase for a payment of 1000 FC per day until they reach 100,000 FC
which is the cost of this outfit.
An important piece of information is that the leaders of mining cooperatives are beginning to realize
that minerals are non-renewable resources. They are investing in sustainable development activities
such as agriculture. We visited the COMAKAT maize field.
We also visited the social works carried out by mining cooperatives to benefit local
communities, including health centres and vocational training centres.
07
SARW NEWSLETTER

9. SARW Director Dr Claude
Kabemba handing a
picture frame with some
memories of Georges work
under SARW
08
SARW NEWSLETTER
SARW Bids farewell to Georges
Bokondu Mukuli
Georges Bokondu is widely recognised as an exceptional leader who has significantly
contributed to civil society in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He is known for his
ability to unite people, mediate conflicts, and find compromises. During the revision of the
Mining Code and the adoption of the law on the general regime for hydrocarbons in the
DRC, his leadership and advocacy on behalf of civil society in the natural resources sector
were particularly noteworthy.
In October, SARW bid farewell to Georges Bokondu Mukuli, who had been heading the DRC
SARW office since its establishment in 2008. He had been with SARW for a total of 15 years.

10. Within the period under review, SARW has
been carrying out fieldwork for a research
that is focused on Developing and
publishing a comprehensive and detailed
study report on the status of rights of
women and youth working in ASM and
living in cobalt and lithium mining
communities in the DRC and Zimbabwe.
The research aims to provide a
comprehensive analysis of the critical
minerals mining sector. It will explore
micro and macro issues and key trends
that affect the industry, as well as the
institutional frameworks governing cobalt
and lithium mining. It will analyse the
contracts and contracting processes of
mining companies, including their policies
and practices regarding due diligence.
In addition, it will investigate the impact of
mining activities on Indigenous Peoples'
rights, including the potential for human
rights violations. It will also examine the
issues of energy poverty and the transition
to green energy, mapping the distribution
of resources and identifying the actors
involved in this process.
The research will delve into beneficiation
arrangements, labour and working
conditions, and issues related to women
and youth employment. It will also
investigate the impact of mining on health
and well-being, social, economic, and
environmental rights, and national and
local development and transformations.
Finally, it will examine the issue of
corruption in the mining sector and illicit
financial flows (IFFs), as well as monitor
the engagement of local citizens in the
decision-making process.
09 SARW NEWSLETTER
SARW Rolls out research
on Lithium and Cobalt in
Zimbabwe and DRC

11. The SARW participated in the 2024 Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI) held in
Bulawayo from the 16th to 19th October 2023. The event had over 200 delegates from different
sectors, such as government ministries, the Parliament of Zimbabwe, community and
environmental activists, civil society organisations (CSOs), trade unions, researchers, organic
intellectuals, and media personnel, representing all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. The theme for the
12th edition of the ZAMI was "A Just Energy Transition: Unlocking Community Potential and
Participation," which focused on empowering communities and holding businesses and
government accountable. The event also acted as a follow-up to the previous year's theme of a
just energy transition.
SARW specifically presented during the session on the Power of Innovative Communications.
SARW highlighted both the positive and negative impacts of the transition on communities,
shedding light on the opportunities and challenges that may arise. The transition to sustainable
energy sources has significant impacts on communities. While there are many benefits
associated with the shift towards cleaner energy, such as reduced carbon emissions and
improved air quality, there are also potential negative consequences that must be addressed.
For example, the development of new wind and solar farms may require the displacement of
local communities or impact their traditional livelihoods.
Additionally, extracting critical minerals necessary for clean energy technologies may have
environmental or social impacts on local communities. As such, it is crucial to ensure that the
transition to sustainable energy is conducted in a manner that considers the needs and concerns
of affected communities. This requires strong community engagement, effective governance,
and a commitment to responsible and sustainable practices.
They also were part of the Training on renewable energy, just transition and governance redress
mechanism, where they shared the emerging model of a community and company grievance
redress committee established in Mutoko following SARW’s intervention in grievance redress in
the same community. SARW established a community-company redress committee for the
Mutoko mining community in Zimbabwe known as the Mutoko Grievance Redress Committee
(Mutoko GRC).This work by SARW is a continuation of its work on enhancing Business and Human
rights by promoting Grievance Redress, which is centred on SARW’s toolkit developed from
consultative meetings with various communities on what mechanism they would want to see on
grievance redress.
SARW Participates in the 2024
Zimbabwe Alternative Mining
Indaba (ZAMI)
10
SARW NEWSLETTER

12. SARW Participates at the Bench Marks
Foundation Annual Conference
SARW actively participated in a two-day
Bench Marks Foundation Annual
conference on the 10th and 11th of
October 2023. The conference was held
at the Sunnyside Park Hotel. The
conference focused on addressing
pressing questions related to managing
natural resources. Specifically, the
discussion centered around the renewed
scramble for raw materials and how it
might continue to keep nations and
communities affected by extraction
subjugated and impoverished. The
conference also aimed to explore whether
these communities would benefit from this
new rush to critical minerals or if they
would be trampled by it.
The conference underscored that the future is at stake when it comes to extractive
industries. There is a growing demand for critical raw materials, driven by the energy
transition and the transport industry. However, mining and exporting critical minerals are
typically done with little value addition. Moreover, there is no standard definition and
acceptance of whether these minerals are critical, strategic, or transitional. Lastly, there are
no guarantees that communities and workers will see improvements in their conditions due
to increased mining.
During the meeting, SARW was part of a panel on Continental and International Solidarity:
Addressing Inequality in Extractive Collectively”. The discussion touched on the need for a
campaign for adding value to minerals before exporting at a regional level. It further
encouraged that Communities should be empowered to access shareholders' platforms,
and networks should be formed among communities impacted by mining. There should be
more exchange between communities, building community-to-community relationships.
Efforts should be made to give local meaning to critical minerals in the context of host
countries. It is essential to be involved in national and regional policy processes, such as the
Africa Green Minerals Strategy.
Promoting solidarity among regions with access to critical minerals is essential. This will help
them to transform their comparative advantage into a competitive advantage. An
integrated approach should be encouraged to create value from critical minerals. It is also
essential to launch a campaign against multilateral financial organisations that fund mining
projects without considering the impact on climate change and the growth of the host
country.
11 SARW NEWSLETTER

13. 12
SARW NEWSLETTER
Upcoming Events
18 November 2023
Theme: Training and Documentation
Activity: Community Dialogue / Training and Documentary Shooting– Zambia
Objective: To facilitate a participatory community dialogue documentary
production process with a clear focus on amplifying and documenting women's
voices on climate change in Kalulushi Lufwanyama and Kitwe communities.
Date: 18th November 2023
Venue: Kalulushi Mine Club
Community: Kalulushi, Lufwanyama and Kitwe
Country: Zambia
Theme: Inception and Engagement meeting
Activity: SADC civil society coalition on critical minerals and energy transition
Objective: DRC- Zambia civil society will meet to discuss and strategise on how
to monitor the DRC and Zambia governments’ cooperation agreement to
manufacture EV batteries locally using the abundance of critical minerals the
two countries have. The two civil society will push for a speedy and effective
implementation of the cooperation agreement.
Date: 20 and 21 November 2023
Venue: Lusaka, Zambia
Countries to participate: Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, DRC,
Zambia and Zimbabwe
20 & 21 November 2023
Theme: Capacity Building
Activity: Women's Capacity Building and Empowerment on Climate Change,
Story Telling, Campaigg and Advocacy
Objective: To educate and empower women on their rights and agency in
climate change and to facilitate a just transition.
Date:20th - 24th November 2023
Location: South Africa
Community Name/Country: Womxndla Community Development NPC;
Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Communities (‘SCMAC’); Women Group
from Grootvlei Power Station area.
20 - 24 November 2023

14. Upcoming Events
December 2023
Theme: Engagement and Access in the Private Sector
Activity: Policy Dialogues on Increasing Women's Access to Productive Resources
Objective: To engage coalitions in policy dialogues with private and financial
actors to increase women's access to productive resources.
Date: December 2023
Location: South Africa and Virtual
Community Name/Country: Collaboration with SARW, BHRC, Selected Mining
Companies
Theme: Information sharing and Advocacy
Activity: Ford Foundation Film and Art Festival Showcasing Environmental Justice
Objective: To engage audiences with the "Women on Coal" docuseries,
highlighting the environmental and social challenges communities face in coal
mining regions. This festival aims to spark dialogue on sustainable practices and
climate action, with Womxndla Community Development NPC and SARW
facilitating discussions to encourage informed activism and policy change.
Date: December 5th & 6th, 2023
Location: South Africa - Constitution Hill Precinct
Community Name/Country: Womxndla Community Development NPC, South Africa
5 & 6 December 2023
Theme: Strategic Engagement on Climate
Activity: COP 28
Objective: The aim is to take part in events that impact the value addition of
critical minerals, energy transition, and industrial transformation. We aim to foster
solidarity and network with like-minded organizations, share stories and amplify the
voices of Southern Africa for a Just Energy Transition. Additionally, we strive to
promote corporate accountability tools in the mining sector and value chain. We
will display and share publications on NDCs and their nexus with critical minerals
and energy transition in Southern Africa with the climate action policy community.
Date: 30 November to 12 December 2023
Country: UAE
30 November to 12 December 2023
13 SARW NEWSLETTER