Extractive Resources and Infrastructure

With this edition of Perspectives, the Heinrich Böll Foundation explores some of the approaches and instruments that communities and their NGO partners have developed to create room for community-centred stakeholder participation, and to champion community interests and rights.

PIDA, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, is poised to be a game changer for the transformation of Africa. This publication describes PIDA's plan to double levels of investment in energy, water, and transportation mega-projects and the opportunities and risks these projects present, asking the big question: will PIDA accelerate the colonial patterns of resource extraction or foster the economic diversification required for Africa to prosper?

How could a just and democratic resource politics look like that respects both planetary boundaries and human rights? The Memorandum “Resource Politics for a Fair Future” is the outcome of a two-year international dialogue process of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

The people of Taita -Taveta county have for long been alienated from their land and land resources, with their struggles for land rights and tenure well-known. They are also alienated from the minerals, wildlife and forest resources which then impedes the development of these communities. It is therefore necessary to document these realities and suggest solutions to ensure that the rich mineral resources contribute to local development.

Zimbabwe's Marange diamonds have been tainted by reports of violence, human rights abuses and smuggling, fuelling doubts about the credibility and effectiveness of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KP). How can the Marange impasse be resolved?

This paper describes the drivers behind marginal oil investments and gives an overview of existing and potential projects across the globe.

This issue of Perspectives sheds light on successes and challenges of various multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at improving resource governance in Africa - namely the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme in Zimbabwe, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Initiative, and the Publish What You Pay Coalition in Tanzania.

The large-scale violence that erupted in Kenya after the controversial 27th December 2007 general elections was no single major explosion. Different parts of the country were affected in very different ways. While many parts of Kenya were burning, the Coast Province remained relatively calm, despite the longstanding history of socio-political tension and even violent conflict in this part of the country.