Niou Mine Burkina Faso: advice on scoping report

31 May 2023

The NCEA reviewed the draft Terms of Reference for the environmental and social impact assessment of the Niou mining project in Burkina Faso. This was done at the request of Environmental Assessment agency ANEVE.
The working group, composed by the NCEA, recommended updating the report. While the Terms of Reference included all legally required elements, it does not yet provide a clear framework for developing the ESIA. More clarity is needed about the mining project itself as well as in relation to: 

• social issues like artisanal mining and gender;
• environmental issues like water and energy;
• ways of informing and involving stakeholders;
• developing the environmental and social management plan;
• developing the resettlement action plan.

ANEVE welcomed the review and believed that the advice will contribute to better framing the development of the ESIA. The advice is available here.