"Madagascar’s top court criticizes government handling of mining project", 9 October 2020

[...] Base Resources, an Australian mining firm, [...] future in Madagascar looks dimmer.

In November 2019, Madagascar’s government suspended the project, citing “violence and conflict with host communities” and a lack of clear benefits to the Malagasy people and government. [...].

On Sept. 9, Madagascar’s Court of Auditors, a branch of the Supreme Court [...] cited irregularities in the issuance of permits, the transference of land rights, the management of a protected area, and the consultation process with local people. [...]

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The court’s third main finding was that the government had failed to respect the land rights of local people in granting Base Toliara permits without the permission of landowners. “The Court notes that the land rights of traditional occupants have been ignored,” the report says. [...]

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Base Resources’ communications manager, James Fuller, told Mongabay that the main objective of the audit was assessing governance issues, and that the court had not formally provided the company a copy of the report. [...]

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Base Resources considers the Ranobe concession to be one of the best mineral sands deposits in the world. [...]

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In interviews and company statements, Base Resources executives have framed the Madagascar government’s suspension of its activities as a matter of fiscal negotiation. Yet when the government [...] highlighted a different reason: “This is due to the incidence of violence and conflict with host communities in the project areas.” [...]

Critics from civil society groups say the company has not abided by the suspension [...]. However, Base Resources says it has followed the government order.

“Base Toliara continues to abide by the Government’ suspension of on-the-ground activity and of all communication about the project,” Fuller wrote.

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