The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is undertaking a profound reform of the governance of its mineral resources. A crucial step took place in Douala, Cameroon, from April 20 to 25, 2026, with a regional consultation focused on finalizing a preliminary draft of a Community Mining Code. This code aims to apply uniformly to the six member states: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad.
The main objective is to create a more stable, transparent, and attractive legal framework for investments in the mining sector. The CEMAC Commission brought together national experts, parliamentarians, representatives of mining administrations, the private sector, civil society, and regional financial institutions, such as BEAC, Cosumaf, and Bvmac. These discussions aim to take into account the specificities of each State, while reducing regulatory disparities that hinder the readability of the sector for investors.
This future community code plans to harmonize national legislations, increase transparency in the allocation and management of mining titles, and strengthen the responsibility of public and private actors. CEMAC hopes to limit the risks of regulatory arbitrage between member countries, particularly important in a sector where mining projects require significant investments, cross-border infrastructure, and long-term contractual visibility.
This project is part of an approach initiated in April 2024 in Brazzaville, followed by stages in Riaba and Malabo in July 2024, and a regional workshop for review and pre-validation in February 2025. It is inspired by the African Mining Vision, adopted by the African Union in 2009, which advocates transparent and equitable exploitation of mineral resources for sustainable growth. A community framework could strengthen the negotiating power of States vis-à-vis mining multinationals, particularly on fiscal, environmental and social aspects.
Harmonization could also boost regional financial markets by facilitating mining companies' access to financing through IPOs or bond issues. The success of this common code will depend on its ability to articulate with national mining codes and existing contracts, and on the establishment of binding enforcement mechanisms. Following the work in Douala, the CEMAC Commission will submit the preliminary draft to the Ministers of Mines of the member states, then to the competent community bodies. If the schedule is respected, the region could transform its geological potential into a sustainable engine of growth and public revenue.
