WWF Zimbabwe participated in the 15th Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI) 2026 side event on Critical Minerals, Water, Environmental Rehabilitation, Responsible Mining Standards, and Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCP) for Local Economic Development and Equitable Community Benefits, the national multi-stakeholder platform on Zimbabwe’s extractive sector governance held in Bulawayo from 13–18 September 2026.
The ZAMI 2026 brought together about 200 stakeholders to discuss inclusive and transformative development of mining in Zimbabwe.
The side event focused on strengthening multi-stakeholder engagement around critical minerals, water security, environmental rehabilitation, responsible mining standards and PPCP models that can contribute to local economic development and equitable community benefits.
During the plenary session on Fiscal Reforms, and Community Benefit Sharing in the Critical Minerals Value Chain, WWF Zimbabwe’s Project Manager – Community-Based Environmental Governance, Veronica Zano, shared insights into the project the organisation is implementing in collaboration with Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO) titled “Fostering environmentally and socially responsible, decarbonized, inclusive and transformative value chains for energy transition minerals in the SADC Region” which aims to ensure that lithium extraction and processing activities can be done with less harm to nature and climate with local communities also deriving tangible economic benefits through access to skills development and jobs.
‘’To ensure that the regulations on promoting mineral value addition are sustainable and benefit local communities, efforts should be made to leverage on these opportunities, mitigate environmental impacts and climate shocks. Under the project, we are working towards facilitating the establishment of a Public Private Community Partnership (PPCP) model for community inclusive development from responsible mineral value chains through multistakeholder engagement platforms on coordinated benefit sharing mechanisms and environmental monitoring. To bridge the skills gaps, we will be supporting women and youth in technical and vocational education training programmes.”
— Veronica Zano, WWF Zimbabwe
As part of WWF Zimbabwe’s efforts under the project to ensure that community voices are represented in national mining policy discussions, three community members were supported to participate in the ZAMI. The local community representatives were a female youth from Kamativi Urban, 2 female village heads from Kamativi Rural and Binga. During the Access to Remedy session, they shared perspectives and concerns from their communities, emphasising the need for mining companies to take responsibility for the commitments and promises they make to communities. They called for greater gender balance in employment, including equal opportunities for women to work in mining companies, as well as the creation of meaningful business and economic opportunities for local communities to benefit from mining activities.
I am very grateful to WWF Zimbabwe for giving me the opportunity, as a young person, to represent my community at the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI). Participating in this important mining policy platform allowed me to contribute to discussions and learn about the issues affecting mining communities. I learnt that, as mining-affected communities, we must benefit from mining, have access to grievance redress mechanisms, and, most importantly, protect our environment. This is a message I will carry home and share with other young people and members of my community so that, together, we can contribute to positive change by protecting nature.”
—Vivid Ngwenya from Kamativi Urban.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of conducting economic analysis surveys to assess the market opportunities and relevant skills required within local economies. ZELO and WWF Zimbabwe are working with partners, including vocational training centres, to explore skills development pathways that can support the establishment of viable community enterprises, particularly for women and youth.
WWF Zimbabwe remains committed to advancing responsible mining, environmental protection, climate resilience and inclusive economic opportunities, while supporting approaches that place communities at the centre of natural resource governance and development.
Source: Building Responsible and Inclusive Mining Futures in Zimbabwe | WWF wwfafrica
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