Opinion

The Future for Sustainable Mining in Africa Lies in Circular Thinking

Author: Mark Venables, Consultant at African Mining Indaba

Mining and the circular economy are not phrases that traditionally fit in the same sentence but in a decarbonised world more minerals and metals will be required, not less. Mining is not typically associated with visions of a circular economy. But if the world is to transition to a low-carbon future, more minerals and metals will be required, not less. This shift will require vast volumes of copper, lithium, cobalt, platinum, chrome, and manganese.

The circular economy (CE) is not a new concept, but it has been growing in importance, recently promoted by influential organisations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the World Economic Forum. In our current economy, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste – the process is linear. In a circular economy, by contrast, we stop waste being produced in the first place. The circular economy is based on three principles, driven by design. First eliminate waste and pollution, then circulate products and materials at their highest value and finally regenerate nature. It is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials. A circular economy decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. It is a resilient system that is good for business, people, and the environment.

Africa is endowed with abundant mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, uranium, cobalt, and many other metals which are key inputs to manufacturing processes around the world. However, extracting those precious resources from the ground comes at an environmental cost that is increasingly coming under scrutiny and that is where circular thinking can play a huge part.

The benefits of a circular economy The African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) is a government-led coalition of African nations with a mission to spur Africa’s transformation into a circular economy that delivers economic growth, jobs, and positive environmental outcomes. By adopting CE principles, Africa’s mining industry can seize opportunities to reduce costs whilst also mitigating risks associated with shifting consumer and investor preferences, and new regulations and standards.

According to the report ‘Increasing Circularity in Africa’s Mining Sector’ produced by the ACEA, given the economic contribution of mining to African countries, CE would significantly contribute to creating a sustainable mining industry. For countries that depend on mining as the primary economic activity, it contributes considerably to their foreign earnings. For example, Botswana mining has accounted for roughly 85 per cent of national foreign exchange earnings, 33 per cent of government revenue, and 25 per cent of GDP for the past four decades. Given the economic contribution of mining to African countries, the mining industry has a critical role to play in supporting the transition to a circular economy.

and the demand for Africa’s mineral wealth increases, adopting a CE strategy can assist the mining industry to adapt to increased pressure on limited resources. There are, however, challenges that need to be overcome in this circular journey including deficient infrastructure. The lack of clean energy resources for the mining sector will impede the drive to reduce carbon emissions in the industry.

One of the benefits of CE is its ability to decrease operating costs by increasing operational efficiency. Part of a CE strategy is to optimise the use of resources, therefore designing efficient systems that use the CE principles will reduce consumption intensity and the cost of sourcing resources. An example of this can be witnessed with Syama Gold Mine’s shift to renewable energy from its existing source of power, a 28 MW diesel generator. The mine signed a 16-year contract for a hybrid power plant with Aggreko. In 2020, Syama Gold mine’s cost of electricity decreased by 40 per cent and CO2 emissions by 20 per cent.

Three steps to a circular future

The ACEA identified three crucial CE principles for the African mining industry to engage with. First to recycle, reduce, and reuse resources and waste. Secondly to regenerate natural resources, and finally to design out waste.

One of the chief areas for reuse comes in the use of water by the mining sector. Water is used to process minerals, transport slurry, and control dust and a large mine can use as much as 30,418 megalitres each year, enough to feed more than half of Africa’s population for a day. According to the ACEA, the mining industry is the second-largest water user right behind agriculture in South Africa. Effective The use of water can be decreased if the mines’ wastewater is recycled, reused, concentrated, and reclaimed. Mining companies can improve wastewater management in three ways: lining waste and tailing dams to avoid water seepage, put wastewater in tanks to prevent evaporation, and filtering water from slurry/sludge/tailings before storing the waste in dams. Anglo American is developing a technology that will close the loop by creating a sealed system that increases efficiency and directs water recycling and reuse.

Other areas of the CE that fall into this category include recycling and reusing vehicle parts, repurposing waste rock, recycle and reprocess tailings, recycle, and reuse construction materials, rehabilitate mines for economic development and recycle food waste for energy generation.

Africa is endowed with abundant mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, uranium, cobalt, and many other metals which are key inputs to manufacturing processes around the world

Use renewable energy and reduce energy consumption

Mining uses a lot of energy, there is no escaping that. It is crucial throughout the lifecycle of a mine from exploration to processing the final product. Traditionally the sector has relied on diesel and electricity from the grid to meet these needs. For example, figures from Glencore show that they use up to 210 petajoules of energy annually, equivalent to the energy consumption of ~12.7 million people in Africa. This high energy use comes with an elevated level of carbon emissions.

By switching to renewable energy resources such as solar and wind energy to power mining operations can help to regenerate natural systems. When compared to traditional diesel-powered generators, renewable energy is cheaper and produces less CO2 emissions. One mine that has benefited from a transition to renewables is the Syama Gold Mine in Mali.

The need to design circular mines

A more forward looking and less accessible solution to reducing resource consumption and recycling waste is designing smart mines with the environment in mind. This entails building sustainability into the design process from the outset and looking to invest in renewable energy such as solar and wind and employing technologies to eliminate water usage in mines. This would be most feasible for upcoming mining projects in the continent.

Some companies are already putting redesigning mining operations into consideration. Anglo American is currently investing in exploring a FutureSmart Mine that will be circular, save costs, increase efficiency, and ease mines’ operations.

It may not be immediately apparent, but the electrical work inside your home and the buildings you see in the city is complicated. In a sense, you can think of all the wiring as the nervous system of the structure that gives it life. As an electrical contractor, it is your primary goal to get projects to build this electrical framework for profit so you can stay in business. But the world of electrical contracting is competitive, and you will have to compete with various other companies through bidding.

Before you can bid for a project, you need to undertake project to know about all the costs that will be involved. Once you know the costs, you can then bid accordingly, depending on how much profit you want to make. But what are the essentials that you need to consider for new construction? We will discuss exactly that in this article. Let’s dive in.

Review Specifications Before you make a bid, it is crucial that you first review the specifications and drawings of the new structure. You must look thoroughly through both Division 1 general and Division 26 specifications. Taking note

of any qualifications is also crucial as you want your work to adhere to these if you get the project.

Additionally, it would be best if you also took note of who will provide all the items that will be part of the costs and methodology of installing them. For example, you may look at who will provide the fire alarms, communications equipment, and an electrical contactor supplier. In essence, the purpose of reviewing specifications is to get an idea of the quality of the materials.

Review Drawings

Additionally, you must look over the drawings in great detail to get an idea of the scope of the project. You will be looking at electrical drawings but do not ignore architectural drawings. These drawings will give you an idea of heights and elevations that can affect labor costs, material lengths and specifications, and equipment requirements.

Once you have gotten an overall view of the project through these drawings, you should review the Division 26 drawings to note technical details. There is a chance that the drawings and specifications don’t match, so you will want to bring this to light. In essence, the purpose of reviewing drawings is to get an idea of the quantities involved in the project.

Perform Quantity Takeoff This is where you really get into the thick of it by measuring and counting everything you need based on your reviews. You can do this through highlighters or a scale master, but we recommend using takeoff software. You will be counting and measuring any items you need that can vary from lights, panels, gears, etc.

We believe the best way to do this is by selecting a single item and then counting it sheet by sheet before moving to the next. After that, add up all the items from each sheet and put them on a spreadsheet file so that you can see everything you need.

Request Quotes and Estimate

Now that you have information about everything you need, it is time to request quotes from suppliers about all these items. You can ask multiple suppliers and go with the option that you find is best. Once you have received the quotes, it is time to estimate the total cost

involved in the electrical construction work. To do this, you will need to look at the material and labor costs associated with a single task and then extend it based on the quantity of the item.

Material costs won’t be difficult as you can ask your supplier, but determining labor costs will depend on your experience. If you lack experience, checking out labor guides or talking to someone with more experience can help. After the estimation, all you need to do is add your profit on top of it and make a proposal, and you’re done.

Conclusion

As an electrical contractor, getting projects is essential to profit and run your business. However, before you can bid for a project, it is critical to undertake electrical estimating to get an idea of the costs involved. There are certain essentials you need to keep in mind when doing so. We have discussed them extensively in this article, all the way from the initial reviewing process to the final bidding. We hope this article proves helpful and aids you in getting a profitable project for your business.

Mnangagwa to officially open Mine Entra Conference

President Mnangagwa is set to headline the country's leading Mining, Engineering and Transport exhibition (Mine Entra) to be held in Bulawayo in the next few weeks.

Commonly known as Mine Entra, the specialised exhibition, which returns after a two-year absence owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre between July 20 and 22.

The exhibition will run under the theme, "Explore, Extract, Expand: Towards Sustainable Mining Value Chains."

The premier gathering of mining, engineering, transport and construction industry stakeholders provides a platform to engage in productive discussions for the creation of an enabling environment for the growth and development of the mining industry.

It also incorporates a display of mining equipment, chemicals and protective clothes as well as insurance and security services, which are needed by miners.

In an update yesterday, The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company chief executive officer, Dr Nicholas Ndebele, said President Mnangagwa will officially open the two-day event.

"His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, HE Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to be the guest of honour and will deliver the keynote address during the Mine Entra Conference and official opening ceremony being held on Thursday 21 July 2022," he said.

He said President Mnangagwa will be accompanied by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Winston Chitando who is also the patron of Mine Entra and other senior Government officials.

Dr Ndebele said preparations are gathering pace and four exhibitors from China, South Africa and the United Kingdom have already confirmed participation. "To date, 115 exhibitors have confirmed participation by taking up 3 340 square metres of exhibition space, representing just over 66 percent of capacity," he said.

Dr Ndebele said in the past two weeks, the exhibition executive team has been engaged in a series of high-level stakeholder engagements in preparation for the Silver Jubilee edition of Mine Entra.

He said they met Minister Chitando as well as other critical mining industry stakeholders where discussions revolved around formatting the exhibition in a manner that reflects the needs of the industry, as well as canvassing for support and participation.

"We also visited selected foreign diplomatic missions based in Zimbabwe representing countries with thriving mining economies and or strong investor pool for the mining sector," said Dr Ndebele.

Some of the countries visited include Australia, Botswana, Canada, DRC, India, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey and Zambia."

More engagements are planned for the coming weeks as officials want the exhibition to reflect the pivotal role that the extractive sector plays in Zimbabwe's economy.

The mining industry is one of Zimbabwe's economic mainstays with the sector presently contributing about 70 percent of the country's foreign currency earnings.

The Second Republic has come up with a mining industry roadmap whose target is to grow the sector to a US$12 billion industry by 2023 with the gold sector expected to generate US$4 billion, platinum US$3 billion and chrome, iron, steel, diamond and coal contributing US$1 billion. Lithium is expected to contribute US$500 million while other minerals will contribute US$1,5 billion.

"To that end, we invite companies supplying exploration, extraction, processing or beneficiation machinery and training requirements for the mining sector as well as suppliers of equipment and machinery relating to the engineering and transport to exhibit," said Dr Ndebele.

The exhibition will have several knowledgesharing platforms and focused dialogues catering for the different segments within the mining value-chain including small-tomedium scale mining as well as women and youth in mining.

The forums are aimed at discussing ways to harness the country's mining potential, identify markets for our minerals, improve mining operations to ensure sustainable exploration, extraction and processing of minerals to benefit citizens, said Dr Ndebele.

Bannerman nearing completion of definitive feasibility on Etango-8 Uranium

With the guidance of a world-class Technical Steering Committee, Bannerman Mining Resources (Namibia) is nearing completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) on its Etango-8 Uranium Project, near Swakopmund. Although Bannerman has been busy at Etango since 2006, the “Etango-8” project is a smaller development pathway for the mine that will enable uranium production sooner with lower development hurdles.

The name Etango-8 refers to the reduced throughput of 8 million tonnes per annum, compared with the original development proposition of 20 million tonnes per annum (for which Bannerman completed a DFS in 2012).

A Technical Steering Committee has overseen the DFS process and supported the owner’s team. The Committee is chaired by industry veteran Norman Green and comprised of experts in their respective fields: John Turney, Mike Leech, Steve Herlihy and Brandon Munro.

Norman Green is well known to the Namibian mining industry after leading the feasibility, environmental and construction phases of the Husab uranium mine as CEO of Swakop Uranium before handing over to CGN in 2012. Amongst numerous other resources projects in Africa over the last 35 years, he led the construction and commissioning of the Skorpion Zinc mine and refinery project and consulted to NamDeb on operational improvements at the Elizabeth Bay diamond mine. Norman’s deep project development experience, extensive networks, detailed knowledge of the Namibian operating environment and direct experience developing a Namibian uranium mine provide ideal oversight and input for the Etango-8 DFS process and subsequent development pathway.

John Turney was Bannerman’s Project Director from 2008-2015 and oversaw the original Etango PFS (2009), DFS (2012) and DFS Optimisation Study (2015). His executive experience prior to Bannerman included an extensive role as Vice President, Capital Projects (Global) for Barrick, which saw him build deep expertise in the feasibility, development and commissioning of mining projects in Africa and elsewhere.

Mike Leech is a past President of the Namibian Chamber of Mines and past Chairman of the Namibian Uranium Association. Mike was Managing Director of Rössing Uranium Ltd, then the largest uranium mine in the world, until he retired in 2011. Mike commenced working in the uranium sector in 1982 and is currently Chairman of Bannerman Mining Resources (Namibia).

Steve Herlihy is Chief Financial Officer of ASXlisted parent company Bannerman Energy. His extensive background in the resources sector includes senior executive roles within BHP Limited, where he was Financial Controller (global) for BHP Iron Ore and then a member of BHP’s global Strategy and Innovation Leadership Team.

Brandon Munro is CEO of Bannerman Energy and an expert on the uranium market. He serves on the Advisory Panel to the Board of the World Nuclear Association and spent four years Chairing WNA Nuclear Fuel Demand Working Group, the body responsible for forecasting global uranium demand until 2040.

Global engineering firm Wood plc is the DFS lead engineer with support from Namibian consultants including Qubeka Mining Consultants, Addiza Energy Solutions, Urban Green, Lund Consulting Engineers, Windhoek Consulting Engineers, WML Coast Consulting Engineers, CREO Engineering Solutions, Namisun Environmental Projects, and A. Speiser Environmental Consultants. The Bannerman owner’s team is led by Managing Director Werner Ewald, who has led Bannerman Mining Resources (Namibia) since 2011.

The Steering Committee is joined for its weekly meetings by Wood project managers, relevant invited experts and Werner Ewald and Andre Alberts from Bannerman. The DFS is progressing well, with completion due by the end of September 2022.

Tech company to unleash fleet of 12,000 cargo drones across Africa

German firm Wingcopter says the move will address insufficient infrastructure in many African regions; one of the biggest barriers to universal health coverage and economic development. The partnership with Continental Drones covers all 49 sub-Saharan countries, with the roll-out goal scheduled for over the next five years. Wingcopter also announced this month it has raised $42 million from investors, tripling the company’s total equity raise to more than $60 million to date.

The company explains: ‘Setting up large-scale drone delivery networks across African airspace will propel logistics in these countries to a new level and help build an entirely new transport framework – much faster, cheaper, more sustainable, and more efficient than the development of conventional ground-based infrastructure with all its unhealthy and climatedamaging emissions.’

Wingcopter says its technology will be deployed to improve delivery of items including on-demand medicines, vaccines, laboratory samples, as well as essential goods for daily use. The fully electric Wingcopter 198 drone is also expected to contribute to a more sustainable African logistics sector and help move economies towards net zero emissions.

Alexander Asiedu, Founder of Continental Drones and Chairman of parent company Chairman of Atlantic Trust Holding, said: ‘Together with Wingcopter, we are committed to accelerate the development and economic integration of Africa by enabling the creation of drone-based delivery networks across the continent. ‘With our longstanding business experience on the ground and Wingcopter’s best-in-class drone technology, these networks offer a real chance to fuel economic development and help improve the livelihood of millions. African nations show true

Setting up large-scale drone delivery networks across African airspace will propel logistics in these countries to a new level and help build an entirely new transport framework.

Wingcopter, Drone Company

leadership by implementing this cutting-edge technology for the better of their people and generations to come.’

Tom Plümmer, Co-Founder and CEO of Wingcopter, adds: ‘Wingcopter is well positioned to execute against the tremendous opportunity of drone delivery in the next decade. ‘We are convinced that our cooperation with Alex and his Continental Drones team will unlock the African drone delivery market on a large scale, allowing us to jointly improve and save millions of lives.’

William Elong, the genius behind the firstever drone made in Cameroon

At the age of 26, William Elong a Cameroonian tech entrepreneur is credited with launching the first drone made in Cameroon. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business at 18 and an MBA in Economic Intelligence in Paris at age 20 before becoming the founder of Will & Brothers, an IT innovation and intelligence startup with its main project called Drone Africa.

The young genius told Forbes in 2016 that his drone project seeks to promote civil drones as a business service and civil defense tools in Cameroon against terrorism. He said that his drones are also used in mapping, agriculture, media coverage and tourism.

“Our countries spend huge sums of money on contracting satellite imagery companies to address their geographical mapping needs,” said Elong after unveiling the first-ever drone made in Cameroon in 2018. “Using drones is much cheaper, cost-effective and more practical.”

In addition, Elong noted that African countries usually depend on western firms to obtain aerial images at exorbitant prices. Therefore, going into drone manufacturing was not only to provide a local solution but to also provide one at a cheaper cost.

“African countries depend upon some service providers for aerial images. The latter are sold at prices that challenge the imagination, so we believe that drones are a simpler solution to meet this need, and many others, whether security or tourism,” noted Elong .

Offering drone services to companies and government organizations in Cameroon, he raised some $200,000 to advance his project in 2015. Elong started his venture with four employees and by 2017, he had grown his workforce to 22 spread over two continents. Some were working in the Douala headquarters while others operated from Germany, France and Côte d’Ivoire.

“We still face technical challenges so the future of our company depends very much on R&D. No one is training us; we taught ourselves on the Web, so it might take time. But today we are able to do our own deep learning algorithms for drone image analysis,” he told Futuramobility in 2018.

African countries depend upon some service providers for aerial images. The latter are sold at prices that challenge the imagination, so we believe that drones are a simpler solution to meet this need, and many others, whether security or tourism.

William Elong, Founder Will & Brothers Consulting In the first year of operation, Drone Africa made zero profit. In 2016, it made a US$10,000 profit and by 2018, its annual turnover was upwards of US$200,000. Born in Ebone, Moungo Division of the Littoral Region in Cameroon, Elong became the youngest ever graduate of the Economic Warfare School in Paris at age 20. He worked for groups such as the Thales and Oracle after completing his studies in 2013. He founded Will & Brothers Consulting, then Drone Africa in July 2015 when he returned to Cameroon.

Bathymetric

mapping underwater terrain and determining water depth

One of the most important tasks of a bathymetric survey is characterizing a site, or a portion of a site, by taking measurements of its depth. This technique is an excellent way to map the bottom of a lake or ocean before remediation activities are begun. It can also help determine the transience of bottom sediments, and the efficacy of dredging operations.

Bathymetric surveying is an advanced method for mapping underwater terrain and determining water depth. It is an excellent way to identify submerged vegetation and habitat, and can be used by scientists to make accurate maps. Despite its complexity, bathymetric surveys are easy to perform. Many companies use different tools to perform bathymetric surveys. The first step in this process is choosing a boat. Small boats are best for shallow areas, while larger vessels can be necessary to survey larger regions.

In addition to establishing the depth of water, bathymetric surveys are useful for dredging projects. It establishes the contours of the seafloor, which can help with dredging tool selection. The results of bathymetric surveys also provide a baseline for measuring the dredging tools' accuracy and environmental impact. This type of survey can be very helpful for land development projects as well, and can help you determine features of an area's bottom.

Surveying

mapping underwater terrain and determining water depth

Traditionally, bathymetric surveying has been conducted by attaching an echo sounder to a survey boat. The echo sounder converts electrical signals into soundwaves, which identify subsea features. Then, an elevation model of the area is constructed. This elevation map helps land developers plan and build their projects. In addition to making it easier to understand a site, bathymetric surveys can also save lives.

The process of bathymetric surveying is largely the same for all types of surveying. The first step of the process is to select the correct type of boat. A single small boat is often enough for shallow areas, while a large body of water will need several boats. During the survey, changing boats is a necessity for the data to be accurate. After choosing the right boat, the next step is to decide on the type of equipment. The equipment used will depend on the type of bathymetric surveying, but generally includes an echosounder and GPS unit for each boat. Depending on the type of project, the boat may need to carry additional tools.

Traditionally, bathymetric surveys have involved the use of an echo sounder attached to a survey boat. The echo sounder uses soundwaves to identify underwater features. The echo signal from the transducer is converted into an elevation model, which is a graphical representation of the seafloor. Using this method can also be useful in other fields. These systems can be used to study the mineral composition of the seafloor and to map the features and height of the ocean.

Lethal drones are a new menace to Africa

by James Jeffrey

The significant role played by armed drones in deciding outcomes in Ethiopia’s conflict is emblematic of how lethal drones are spreading in the skies above Africa. They add a terrifying new dimension to violent conflict on the continent where warfare has hitherto to been generally confined to ground battles.

Ethiopia is at the forefront of a military trend in Africa that sees armed drones becoming an increasingly sought-after military option across the continent.

In the aftermath of 9/11, Afghanistan became the crucible of drone use and development spearheaded by the US. But, due to the US being unwilling to share the advanced technology involved in its Reaper and Predator drones, other nations such as Turkey have stepped in to fill the gap in the market.

While such drones are not as advanced in comparison, they are still proving themselves as decisive weapons in conflicts such as Ethiopia’s, that has been going on since November 2020.

Ethiopia’s embrace of armed drones is indicative of a larger trend happening in Africa and around the world, especially in ‘backwater conflicts’ – read, conflicts that don’t directly affect or interest the West, yet. The Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drone has been used to great effect in the NagornoKarabakh conflict in Azerbaijan, as well as in the conflicts in western Libya and northern Syria.

“I think Ethiopia at the moment is indeed the heaviest user of drones on the continent,” Wim Zwijnenburg, a drone specialist for Dutch peace organisation PAX who has been monitoring the fighting in Ethiopia, told Agence France-Presse at the start of the year.

From the start of Ethiopia’s conflict, there were reports the government was seeking drones by reaching out to foreign suppliers. Due to the government-enforced lockdown and communications blackout of Tigray, it has been exceedingly hard for journalists and other agencies to access the region and establish the veracity of events on the ground.

But as a result of photographic evidence and investigations, there is a general consensus that the acquisition and use of Chinese, Turkish, UAE and Iranian drones – both unarmed drones purely for surveillance and drones carrying weapons – made a significant difference when the Ethiopian government had its back against the wall in November 2021, with the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) advancing within 250 miles of Addis Ababa and the government calling on the capital’s residents to arm themselves in order to defend it.

“The reports I have were that the first wave of drones – from November to December in 2020 – were operated by Emiratis, and the current wave is partly operated by Turkish personnel,” says Alex de Waal, the director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University.

“Definitely the drones have been crucial. They were primarily effective in disrupting the TDF logistics. There is a single tarmac road from Tigray south all the way to the province of Shewa, and during December there were about a dozen drones at any one time patrolling that road and shooting at any trucks moving along it, making it extremely difficult and hazardous for the TDF to supply its front lines.”

After the Ethiopian government’s initial apparent victory over the TDF in November 2020, it learned how hard it was to hold Tigray with troops on the ground, resulting in its withdrawal from the region followed by the TDF’s advance south.

Affordable option

The use of armed drones gives the government an effective alternative – especially given its tiny force of combat aircraft, estimated at 22 – for attacking and harassing its enemy, while not exposing ground forces in Tigray.

The inferior technological prowess of drones such as the Turkish TB2, compared to the top-of-the-range Reapers and Predators, can actually be an advantage for cash-strapped governments like Ethiopia’s.

“The TB2’s low relative cost and reliability allow several to be flown at once and enables maintenance of a near-constant presence over the battlespace, meaning that surprise tactics by one’s adversary will be spotted and much less likely to succeed,” reports Al Jazeera in its article ‘How armed drones may have helped turn the tide in Ethiopia’s war’.

These affordable capabilities of remote warfare are why other African countries are turning to drones. In its 2021 report, Remote Horizons: The expanding use and proliferation of military drones in Africa, PAX documented the rapid advance of military drones across Africa. The report shows that during the last 14 years, African and foreign states have been involved in drone operations in at least 20 states in North Africa, the Sahel and Horn of Africa.

“Their growing use has been driven by both their use in counter-terrorism operations for targeted killings and the need for more situation awareness and information in regular military operations through a range of cameras and sensors fitted to the drones,” says the PAX report, noting its findings “demonstrate a pattern of growing drone use and proliferation throughout the continent that warrants further public and political debate.”

Morocco has proved one of the keenest in pursuing the drone capability for its military. Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) signed a contract to buy 13 Bayraktar TB2 combat drones from Turkey, according to The Defense Post, a US-based independent security and defence news publication. That purchase came a year after the North African nation received three Israeli-made Heron reconnaissance drones.

In December 2020, Washington reportedly signalled its approval for the sale of four MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones to Morocco. Other African countries involved in drones – either armed or for surveillance – include Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon, Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan.

When it comes to non-African states, the US has drones stationed in Djibouti that are used for airstrikes in Yemen and Somalia. It also flies unarmed surveillance drones from bases in Tunisia and Cameroon, according to Foreign Policy’s article, ‘Shadowy US Drone War in Africa Set to Expand’. Other non-African countries operating drones across the continent include France in Mali, Italy in Libya and the UN in Congo. At the same time, non-state actors and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram have developed their own drones for reconnaissance and surveillance operations. The fear is such groups have ambitions to weaponise their drones for attacks.

The PAX report notes that human rights activists, legal experts, United Nations special rapporteurs and affected communities have all raised concerns that the increased use of lethal force with remote weapons such as drones could stretch legal frameworks and lower the threshold for the deployment of such force.

Whether drones are better or worse than other aircraft in reducing the risks of killing civilians is far from clear. The fierce debate around these often sinisterly portrayed pieces of military hardware tends to miss how it isn’t the weapon-bearing platform itself that is the crucial factor, but rather how it is used in the context of mission aims, training, Rules of Engagement (ROE) and adherence to the international Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC). This dynamic has been highlighted in Ethiopia’s conflict.

“There is clearly a very low threshold for what constitutes a military target,” says Will Davison, senior Ethiopia analyst for International Crisis Group. He notes air strikes carried out on a hydropower station and a textile factory, and other sites, which have caused civilian deaths in the likes of marketplaces and displaced people camps in Tigray.

Sifting through the fog of war and parsing the use and impact of airpower, including establishing whether a drone strike caused civilian deaths as opposed to a munition released by a jet, is extremely difficult – especially in a conflict as opaque as Ethiopia’s. The lack of transparency tends to be a factor across the board with other African countries using drones.

“It is alarming that states using armed drones in Africa are secretive about their use of drones in military and intelligence operations,” says the PAX review, noting such secrecy extends to the cooperation with nonAfrican states, especially in counter-terrorism operations. “Covert drone operations make it difficult to determine the legality of their use Opaque legal position

None of this is helped by the absence of a clear legal position from African states and the African Union on the use of armed drones, which is compounded by how “states have severely repressed oppositional views in the media,” the report says. “This ongoing secrecy by states about drone deployments in Africa and censorship of the press limits the space for civil society to engage meaningfully in a debate about drone warfare in Africa.”

As remotely conducted drone warfare continues to spread around the continent, it presents newfound potential for the arms trade, which given the amounts of money involved will likely compound the proliferation of drone use in Africa.

“With new arms export contracts for Turkish drones concluded all over Africa, it is expected that the growing deployment of armed drones will soon see an increase in [their] use as well,” Zwijnenburg notes in another PAX report, released this January, about satellite imagery confirming the presence of Turkish drones in Ethiopia.

All the evidence suggests that the increasing availability of affordable armed drones for shaping military actions around the continent – combined with African governments acting independently in their own perceived best interests – is something occurring at a pace that is outstripping the capabilities of the international and collective African community to moderate and regulate it.

“Their growing popularity and increased deployment in opaque military operations on the African continent comes accompanied with a general failure to address international calls for the transparency and accountability of armed drone strikes, both by African and third states,” Zwijnenburg says. “Current developments should warrant for rapid international action to strengthen legal principles over the use of lethal force and rethink arms export controls and risk assessments around the sale of armed drones.”

But as long as the West, which pioneered the use of armed drones in war situations, continues to use lethal drones in its conflicts, it has no leverage on African or other developing areas on their use of these weapons.

Euclideon udCloud

Secure cloud based platform

Euclideon udcloud is a visualisation platform that allows for the fast and secure delivery of 3D models. This Visualisation as a service (Vaas) provides seamless sharing and collbation, alowing businesses to e ectively manage, analyse and gain insight from their datasets and digital twins. The assoiated data-driven decision making enables productivity and opporttunity at an unprecedebted scale. Euclideon

UNLIMTED3D

Road Assessment Vehicles

Road Assessment Vehicles are vehicles that record road surface defects. These machines are equipped with GPS navigation and a camera for taking pictures. They provide detailed data for highway asset management and are used by government agencies and most local authorities to measure road conditions. Unlike manual surveys, these tools can be deployed at speed and are more efficient. These vehicles are the best choice for assessing the condition of roads in many different regions. These machines can provide a comprehensive range of data including cracking, deterioration, and pavement damage.

These vehicles can record surface properties and automatically detect cracking. The data collected by these machines can be analyzed and used as performance indicators for local and national road maintenance. The RAV has the ability to automatically identify road cracks and road surfaces, and can travel at normal road speeds while completing the survey. The data gathered by RAVs can be used for national and performance indicators, as well as maintenance schemes. The RAVs also help the highway authority determine priorities for carriageway maintenance. They provide information that is vital for asset management and can save money on unnecessary costs. So, if you are a transport authority and need to measure the condition of your roads, this vehicle can help you.

As the name implies, Road Assessment Vehicles collect data at high speeds. They can automatically detect cracks and surface imperfections and provide national and performance indicators. So, what does Road Assessment Vehicles do?

Road Assessment Vehicles can record and analyze high-speed data. They can detect surface cracks and surface defects and provide national and performance indicators. With this technology, they can easily determine the state of a road and provide useful information for road authorities. These tools are essential in improving the quality of roads.

Road Assessment Vehicles are used to collect high-speed data on roads. They can automatically detect surface cracking and provide national indicators. The data is sent to the Department of Transport. This can help identify potential road hazards and determine the best way to repair them. These Vehicles are often used to evaluate road conditions in rural areas, but they are also used for high-speed surveys. In some cases, the RAVs are mounted on a motorway.

Experts Move To Save Underwater Cultural Heritage

By Galgalo Bocha

Experts are alarmed over the looting of underwater cultural heritage in Africa with universities being urged to develop programmes geared towards protecting and preserving such historical artifacts.

The experts including archaeologists, local and international heritage and cultural institutions noted that treasure hunting in different parts of Africa poses serious threats to the preservation and protection of crucial underwater historical artefacts.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director in charge of Eastern African regional office, Prof Hubert Gijzen said underwater cultural heritage in countries like Mozambique face threats from treasure hunts, looting and commercial exploitation.

He was speaking at the Fort Jesus, Mombasa during a ceremony to award certificates to archaeologists from 11 Africa countries who participated in underwater cultural heritage research.

The participants were on 10-days of training to increase their professional and scientific capacity in underwater cultural survey, raise the awareness and protection and preservation can be applied to underwater cultural heritage in Africa.

The attendants from Kenya, Tanzania, Djibouti, Eretria, Seychelles, Mauritius, Namibia, Sudan, Mozambique, Senegal and Benin also surveyed Kenya Sussex shipwreck, assessed the maritime cultural heritage of Mombasa old town and identified the emerging threats, challenges and opportunities.

Prof Gijzen challenged governments to develop proper legislations that would help protect and preserve the rich historical materials hidden beneath the waters of the sea, lakes and rivers on the continent. preservation, in addition to technological advances that drive coastal development and exploitation of marine resources,” he added.

He said looting is a criminal act punishable under the law and that the governments should develop stringent laws that would deter theft and destruction of underwater wreckages, monuments and artifacts.

“We have to tighten legislation that would help stop treasure hunting of these historical materials. The UNESCO 2001 convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage provides us with a roadmap for protecting this fragile and often undervalued heritage, which includes shipwrecks, aircrafts and even sunken cities,” added Gijzen.

The loots including shipwrecks, aircrafts wrecks and other important materials of historical nature are sold to brokers with linkage to industries and museums in the developed world.

The UNESCO Eastern African regional director also appealed to 35 countries on the continent to ratify the convention to pave the way for the protection of their rich historical underwater materials.

Similar sentiments were echoed by UNESCO Kenya National Commission Secretary General Evangeline Njoka who said looting of the artefacts have robbed African countries of their rich history.

“Africa thus loses its cultural legacy. Scientific information and resources of greatest educational and recreational interest to the local communities,” observed Dr Njoka.

She noted that the preservation and protection of the unique underwater archeological artefacts provide greater opportunity to the diversification of the tourism industry in Africa. than the fishing industry. 37 per cent of world tourism is motivated by cultural heritage. This makes the submerged heritage not least as a potential venture of sustainable tourism development in Africa, which is however disappearing rapidly,” she added.

National Museum of Kenya (NMK) acting Director General Stanvas Ogalo noted that countries need to allocate adequate funds to fully exploit underwater archaeology in Africa where research has found its interaction with Greece, China, Persian and India.

“Underwater cultural heritage is an important resource for humanity that needs to be protected and preserved for posterity. However, managing this heritage resource represents a balance among competing forces and is subject to changing financial climates. Without proper management, the exploitation of marine environments would result in a conflict and endangered resources of which underwater cultural heritage is part thereof,” observed Ogalo.

He also noted that lack of undergraduate and graduate programmes on underwater archaeology is a major drawback facing the sub-Saharan African countries.

“As such it is only through increased capacity building that we as a region can take this forward. It’s for this reason that I thank the Japanese government for funding this training worship and UNESCO for continued support of Under Water Heritage programmes in the region,” he added.

NMK Head of Underwater Archaeology, Bita Ceaser, the only Kenyan underwater cultural heritage specialist, challenged African universities to develop marine archeology and other related disciplines for the countries to fully exploit the untapped submerged resources.

He further observed that the underwater cultural heritage places Kenya as a key recreational tourism destination in the world.

“There is a huge potential we can actualize in our sea. We have huge potential for recreational tourism where tourists will visit to see our submerged cultural heritage. This is even possible because even the sea water is warm and that is why most of the time, we do our survey and research wearing just shorts,” he added.

Ceaser said Kenya has made huge milestones in protection of her underwater cultural heritage with NMK being positioned as a center of research and studies on the continent.

He said it was the first country in Sub Saharan Africa to undertake underwater archaeological works and recognize the value of underwater cultural heritage.

This was in 1977 during excavation of ‘Santa Antonio de Tanna’ shipwreck in Mombasa whose exhibition is now in Mombasa Fort Jesus Museum.

The archaeologist said over the years the country has undertaken underwater archaeological surveys to document and understand the underwater cultural heritage.

Turner & Towansend’s International Construction Market Survey

Easing renewable energy inflation may help Africa’s construction sector on its difficult road this year

The potential for growth in renewable energy in Africa presents many opportunities for the construction industry. The continent is rich in hydro, solar and wind, and the use of renewables is a more attractive scenario for many African nations.

Stephen McCartney Turner & Townsend Regional Managing Director – Africa

Turner & Townsend, the independent professional services company operating in the global real estate, infrastructure and natural resources sectors has released its International Construction Market Survey (ICMS) for 2022.

The ICMS is Turner & Townsend’s largest and most in-depth report, drawing from data and experience from 90 global markets, and exploring the challenges and opportunities presented by the economic market conditions that affect the construction industry.

The survey finds that while most markets have recovered somewhat from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns that followed, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and renewed lockdowns in China are starting to influence construction markets.

In Africa, some cities have shown significant recovery, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Gaborone, Harare, Nairobi, Kigali, Kampala, and Lagos. However, the market’s full potential requires more growth to restore gross domestic product (GDP) to prepandemic levels. Furthermore, inflation across the continent will likely reduce consumer demand, further impacting growth throughout 2022.

The report notes that activity in the construction sector has weakened over the last year. A major factor contributing to this is the cost of construction, which has been driven higher by the supply-chain bottlenecks caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as the rising costs of energy.

These factors have resulted in higher risk for contractors, and construction schedules for projects have regularly increased due to material supply shortages. Project teams have been forced to take measures to mitigate this including early procurement, early payment to contractors, or having contracts in which the client sources and issues material themselves.

On the positive side, the ICMS survey shows that residential and social housing remains a strong African construction sector, and the industrial, manufacturing and logistics sectors are seeing some of their strongest rates of growth. Warehousing and goods movement have been boosted by the rapid growth of e-commerce sites in Africa, and the rise of remote working has seen a growing requirement for data centres in most regions.

Furthermore, the potential for growth in renewable energy in Africa presents many opportunities for the construction industry. The continent is rich in hydro, solar and wind, and the use of renewables is a more attractive scenario for many African nations; there are many regions where the local population still has no access to electricity, and decentralised renewables offer the opportunity to provide cheap local electricity. Not only that, but a switch to renewables would also do away with reliance on imported fossil fuels for many nations while offering energy security going forward.

A construction-led recovery in Africa faces many challenges this year and the research notes that the IMF states that sub-Saharan Africa would need to double its forecast growth rate to match the growth seen in the post-pandemic period in other advanced economies. Foreign investment is repelled by high inflation and increased debt levels, and this has the knock-on effect of making financing conditions difficult.

Turner & Townsend predicts that 2022 is going to be another difficult year, but some drivers of inflation- easing – including costs for fuel, transport, imports, steel and raw materials costs and costs of imported goods – could greatly assist the African economies in resuming economic recovery.

Unlocking Africa's Gas Riches

Is Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline a Game Changer?

By June Njoroge

Africa has been hailed as the next frontier in the provision of global oil and natural gas resources, especially now in the wake of the ongoing RussiaUkraine war.

This crisis has not only altered the global energy landscape, but also instigated an inflation in gas prices, given the former's position in the hierarchy of major global producers. As sanctions continue to soar, Europe has embarked on a quest to find contingency energy supplies, as it seeks to minimize its dependency on Russia; which has already cut off gas supplies to countries like Finland, Poland and Bulgaria, over energy payment disputes.

Consequently, Africa's gas resources have gained a newly found prominence, pertinently by the European Union (EU); owing to the continent's rich endowment of oil and deep gas reserves. The mounting global demand for gas, has been pushing international energy companies to reconsider African projects. The numerous ongoing and upcoming oil and gas projects in Africa, serve as a distinct bellwether, that the market could not be riper. The continent finally has a chance to play a central role in the global energy market; however, the caveat remains, can Africa rise up to the challenge and seal the deficit?

In light of this, just recently, the Royal Cabinet of Morocco announced that King Mohammed VI together with Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Republic of Nigeria have finally affirmed and renewed their commitment; towards the proposed construction of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP), touted as vital for the economic integration of both the West and North Africa. The Federal Executive Council (FEC), recently approved for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), to enter into an agreement by signing an MOU on the gas project with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); for the construction of the pipeline, as revealed by Nigeria's Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva, who noted that the project is still in the planning and engineering design stages.

Formulated in 2016, with the signing of an agreement between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Moroccan Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines- National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM); the project is a regional onshore and offshore gas pipeline, which is projected to transport natural gas resources along the Atlantic Coast, traversing the maritime areas of 15 West and North African countries, before crossing over to Europe. It's an extension of the already existing West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), which has been pumping gas from Nigeria to Ghana, Benin and Togo since 2010.

Moroccan King, Mohammed VI and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during the signing of accord in Rabat detailing way forward for mega-project first agreed in 2016

The vision underlying the pipeline is the first of its kind on the continent, well aligned to the African Union's Agenda, including the free trade area (AfCFTA), the African green wall, as well as infrastructure development programmes.

This massive historic initiative that is bound to revolutionize energy access in the two regions, is aligned to President Buhari's "Decade of Gas Master Plan", which was unveiled in 2020 with the chief objective of increasing Nigeria's gas output and exports. In tandem, it's in accordance to King Mohammed VI's commitment towards South-South cooperation, with a key goal of creating a competitive regional power market, whose superfluous benefits will be felt in the economies of both regions.

The 5,660-kilometer-long pipeline will ferry Nigerian gas to every West African coastline, ending at Tangiers in Morocco and Cadiz in

Spain; travelling through Cotonou- Benin; Lomé- Togo; Tema and Takoradi-Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania and finally to Europe via Spain.

Earlier on, the cost of the project had been estimated at US$25billion but the figure is yet to be revised, owing to the passage of time and delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, among other challenges. The Pipeline is projected to be finished in phases over the course of 25 years, therefore its completion date is expected to be in 2046, with perspective to the 25-year estimate given in 2017. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) pledged to fund 50 percent of the project's Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) Study; this generally refers to the basic engineering that proceeds the conceptual design or feasibility study

In Nigeria, the IsDB will contribute US$29.7million for the gas pipeline and aid in making the Final Investment Decision (FID), for the infrastructure project by 2023. In the same breath, for Morocco, the Islamic financier will contribute US$15.5 million to Australian engineering company, has secured a FEED Phase II services contract, for the proposed NMGP.

the project's financing, through the "Service Ijara" operation. To boot, in September 2021, the OPEC Fund for International Development approved a US$14.3 million loan to Morocco, to fund the second phase of the NMGP project's FEED study.

Into the bargain, the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) is seeking to mobilize about US$2 billion of resources, to fund critical areas of infrastructural collaboration within Africa. APPO comprises of 18-member oil-producing countries, accounting for nearly 95 per cent of Africa's oil production, and at least 13 per cent of world production.

In August 2017, NNPC and ONHYM began conducting a feasibility study for the project. The study is said to have been completed in January 2019, and in the same month the two countries contracted Penspen Engineering Company, to conduct the first phase of FEED. By March 2021, Feed and design had entered its second phase. Currently, it has been concluded and pre-FID Greenfield optimization study is underway. In reference to the same, Worley Parsons Limited, an However, Intecsea based in The Hague, is in charge of the overall FEED services, which includes development of the project implementation framework, and supervision of the engineering survey. The onshore FEED scope, coupled with the environmental and social impact assessment and land acquisition studies, was tasked to Worley's London office. By the same token, the group's UK and Madrid offices, will assess the potential for use of renewable energy to power the pipeline, and reduce its carbon footprint; whilst its consulting business Advisian, will investigate electrification and the feasibility of the energy self-sufficiency in the region.

Could Africa's gas riches remedy Europe's energy troubles?

The growing gas pressures are fueling momentum and appetite for oil and gas projects on the continent. OilPrice reports that there is a shift in stance for gas projects in the continent; that have in the past been