Governments and transnational companies, especially from the industrialized and emerging countries, access raw materials in the Global South more and more aggressively. Particularly on the African continent one can observe an increase of investments in energetic (uranium, coal) and mineral raw materials (coltan, cobalt, gold). With the Raw Materials Initiative the EU submitted a political strategy paper which focuses on unrestricted access to resources. At the same time international transparency initiatives show hardly any effects. The raw material extraction does not lead to poverty reduction but causes gigantic environmental damages.
During the event Michael Reckordt (PowerShift, coordinator of the working group ‘raw materials’) provides an overview on global trends on the race for the remaining natural mineral deposits.
The extraction of uranium in Mali, Niger and Tanzania is currently pushed by transnational companies. The Bahi-Manyoni-Project is a main focus of the Uranium extraction strategy in Tanzania. Preparations for the extraction are already made. The extraction will create immense social and health risks for the local population and long-term ecological damage.
Anthony Lyamunda works for the Tanzanian organization CESOPE and is an activist against the Uranium extraction in Tanzania. He reports about the risks of the Uranium extraction and describes the local resistance.
When: 24th April 2014, 6 pm
Where: Afrika-Haus, Bochumer Straße 25, 10555 Berlin (U-Bahn Turmstraße)
