Mineral resources
Technical Cooperation supports partner countries in overcoming the opportunities and challenges in dealing with mineral resources and utilising them responsibly for economic growth and social development.
Current projects
Mineral and energy resources are fundamental building blocks of modern society. They serve as the basis for countless products and drive economic growth. In many developing countries, mineral resources account for a significant proportion of export earnings. While these resources can promote economic growth and improve living standards, they also harbour risks such as corruption, conflict, environmental degradation, social inequality and economic vulnerability.
BGR's Technical Cooperation projects support partner countries in addressing the complex challenges of responsible mineral resource management. These initiatives focus on promoting sustainable extraction practices, strengthening transparent supply chains, and assessing resource potential to contribute to long-term development.
Covering the entire mining cycle, BGR’s approach encompasses critical aspects such as raw material deposit assessments, the establishment of mining cadastres, regulatory frameworks for mining inspections, and strategies for land rehabilitation and post-mining land use. Additionally, ensuring the certification of raw material supply chains remains a key priority.
In many partner countries, the formalization of small-scale mining presents a significant challenge. BGR works closely with stakeholders to develop structured approaches that enhance legal compliance, environmental protection, and social responsibility within the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.
Policy advice
The extraction of mineral resources plays an important economic role in many developing countries. A well-managed raw materials sector generates government revenue and creates jobs and apprenticeships, including in supplier and processing industries. At the same time, the diversification of raw material supply chains in industrialized nations, e.g. Germany and the European Union, is becoming an increrasing political priority. In light of this potential, BMZ partner countries strive to benefit from their rich raw materials endowment. The BMZ supports partner countries in this endeavor and is committed to a responsible and sustainable minerals economy.
The Sector Programme Extractives and Development at BGR advises the BMZ comprehensively and profoundly on issues of mineral resources management and policy. The policy advice includes the evolvement of the German government's development policy agenda in the raw materials sector and support in multilateral committees and initiatives. The advice provided enables the relevant experts and politicians to position themselves strategically in the raw materials sector in accordance with the current development policy guidelines. In addition, the Sector Programme sets own thematic impulses.
The programme is implemented jointly with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Sector Programme Extractives and Development