Assistance to the Government of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is ranked by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as one of the poorest countries in the world and has been ravaged by decades of drought and erratic rainfall. The Government of Ethiopia (GoE) is keen to help rural communities seek other livelihoods to supplement their subsistence agricultural incomes and develop more resilient local economies.

Through a World Bank funded project, Wardell Armstrong was commissioned to undertake a detailed study and critical review of the artisanal mining sector of Ethiopia. Over the last six months Kevin D’Souza (Associate Director & ASM Specialist) has undertaken several trips to numerous remote areas of Ethiopia examining gold, gemstone, salt, gypsum and dimension stone mines. In May Kevin concluded his work for the Ministry of Mines & Energy (MoME) with an intensive three-day training workshop held in Addis Ababa. The workshop was prepared and delivered by Kevin and attracted over 60 high-level delegates from various other ministries, government institutions and NGOs. Key modules including an overview a full day on artisanal mining throughout the African continent, current assistance schemes and the realties on the ground. The following two days focussed on Ethiopia finished with detailed and pragmatic recommendations for formalisation and development of the sector. The MoME were exceedingly pleased and responsive to the recommendations and it is hoped that the GoE will be able to secure funding to implement many of the strategic action plans. Indeed, the Minister informed Kevin that she was sure that funding could be gained to bring him back out very soon to help implement the recommendations.