Herbert Smith Freehills ESG Tracker (SADC Edition)

There are so many ESG-related publications and developments that it is hard to keep abreast of them all. For this reason, HSF publishes a monthly tracker of ESG-related publications and developments, with a primary focus on developments that may be of most interest to or impact our clients in the Southern African Development Community, be they corporates, asset managers or asset owners.

Key updates covered in this edition include that:

If you have any ESG-related questions, please get in touch with your usual contact at HSF who will be able to direct you as appropriate.

This issue covers the period from 1 to 30 April 2022.

ANGOLA

6 April 2022

The World Bank's Board of Directors has approved US$300 million in financing to support the Angolan government to improve water supply and strengthen water resources management for greater climate resilience in certain parts of the country

Angola has formally applied to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The aim of the EITI is to promote open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources. The application will be reviewed and tabled for decision at the EITI Board meeting on 16 and 17 June 2022.

8 April 2022

GlobalData released its report, Angola Power Market Outlook 2035, Update 2022 - Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape, which discusses the power market structure of Angola and provides historical and forecast numbers for capacity, generation and consumption up to 2035. The report also anticipates that hydropower will continue to dominate Angola's power generation through 2035.

14 April 2022

The government of Angola has reportedly reiterated its commitment to expanding the share of renewables in the country's energy mix and has set a target to increase the utilisation of renewable energy sources to 70 per cent by 2025.

21 April 2022

The government of Angola has reportedly signed a declaration of intent with the Italian government to increase its supply of gas from Angola in an attempt to break away from Russian gas.

See other reports: here and here.

BOTSWANA

17 April 2022

Mozambique's publicly owned electricity company, Electricidade de Mozambique, is set to provide 100 megawatts of non-firm power to Botswana under a one year Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) concluded with the Botswana Power Corporation. The PPA aims to help meet the increasing demand for electricity in Botswana.

28 April 2022

It has been reported that Botswana anticipates having 15 per cent of the country's electricity supply sourced from renewable energy by 2030. Currently, Botswana relies heavily on a carbon-intensive model to generate grid electricity for both the industrial and household sectors.

COMOROS

5 April 2022

It is reported that the Union of the Comoros, with the help of the International Atomic Energy Agency, finalised the country's comprehensive national nuclear law. The text will be finalised during the next sitting of the country's National Assembly.

THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ("DRC")

5 April 2022

The Deputy Prime Minister of Environmental and Sustainable Development has published an order suspending 12 logging concession contracts after it was discovered that the concessions had been illegally granted. The order recovers 1,966,630 hectares of forest, and was taken as a precautionary measure ahead of a case-by-case review of the concession contracts.

8 April 2022

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has formally joined the East African Community (EAC) after signing the Treaty of Accession of the DRC into the EAC. The Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed the Treaty of Accession with the President of DRC, H.E. Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, at State House, Nairobi.

The DRC now has until 29 September 2022 to undertake internal and constitutional processes to ratify the Treaty and deposit the instruments of ratification with the Secretary General.

20 April 2022

The Minister of Finance announced that the DRC has satisfactorily concluded the first review of its 36 month extended credit facility with the International Monetary Fund, further strengthening the DRC's commitments to advance large-scale structural reforms, transparency, and debt management. By making substantial repayments of oil debt and restructuring those owed to bilateral and commercial creditors over the past 12 months, the DRC is no longer in a situation of over-indebtedness.

27 April 2022

The DRC has started an Ebola vaccination campaign in Mbandaka, the capital city of the Equateur Province in the north-west, to halt the spread of the virus. This follows an outbreak on 21 April 2022 which has claimed two lives. Three vaccination teams are already on site working to reach all high-risk contacts.

ESWATINI

30 April 2022

It is reported that a high court in eSwatini has rejected a bid by the country's leading LGBTQ rights group (Eswatini Gender Minorities) for official recognition. In eSwatini homosexuality is still banned.

MADAGASCAR

18 April 2022

The Government of Madagascar and the World Bank signed two projects for Madagascar totalling US$534,9 million.

The Connecting Madagascar for Inclusive Growth project (US$400 million) aims to improve the connectivity, resilience, and management of key roads in selected rural areas of Madagascar, including in the south.

The Pandemic Preparedness and Basic Health Services Delivery project (US$134.9 million), supported by International Development Association and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents will support Madagascar's efforts to strengthen its pandemic preparedness across sectors and improve the provision of basic health services and quality of care.

MALAWI

1 April 2022

The Value Added Tax (VAT) Amendment Bill (gazetted 18 March 2022) became effective on 1 April 2022. The Amendment removes the 16.5 per cent VAT on cooking oil, sanitary pads and tap water, among other commodities.

7 April 2022

Malawi reaffirmed its commitment to climate action at a World Health Day commemoration titled 'Our Planet, Our Heath'. The commemoration was held by the World Health Organisation Malawi Country Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

MAURITIUS

28 April 2022

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ebony Forest Ltd and the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security. The aim of the MoU is to cement the responsibilities and obligations between the parties with the objective of establishing a conservation programme to breed endangered species. The Minister, Mr Maneesh Gobin, stated, at the signing ceremony, that the MoU is an example of private-public partnership and the involvement of NGOs in conservation efforts with the government.

As part of the MoU, Ebony Forest Ltd, is entitled to transport several endangered species from a source population to the Ebony Forest to create a viable population suitable for breeding in the Ebony Forest.

MOZAMBIQUE

4 April 2022

During the inauguration of the Metoro Solar Power Plant, Mozambique's President reiterated that renewable energies will constitute 20 per cent of the country's energy pool within the next 25 years.

25 April 2022

In an interview, the Finance Minister confirmed that Mozambique intends to establish a sovereign wealth fund later in 2022 with the process to finalise the draft legislation underway.

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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.