Morocco has set a new benchmark for Africa’s mining sector by formally adopting the African Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework at the Morocco International Mining Congress & Exhibition (IMC 2025) in Marrakech. The announcement, made on November 24, 2025, signals a decisive shift toward responsible and sustainable resource management, with implications that could ripple across the continent’s industrial, economic, and environmental landscapes.
The African ESG Framework, ratified through the Marrakech Declaration, reflects a growing recognition that Africa’s vast mineral wealth, critical to the global energy transition and digital economy, must translate into tangible benefits for local populations. Morocco, already one of the continent’s leading mining hubs, leveraged IMC 2025 to rally ministers, industry leaders, financiers, and investors around a unified approach to sustainable mining that aligns global standards with African realities. The framework is designed to address the shortcomings of existing ESG measures, which often fail to consider the continent’s socio-economic and environmental context.
Morocco’s commitment to this framework underscores a strategic vision for regional industrial and technological integration. By adopting a governance model tailored to Africa, policymakers hope to facilitate access to sustainable financing for mining projects while safeguarding national sovereignty over natural resources. This is particularly significant for countries across North, West, and Southern Africa that are increasingly exploring minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, resources essential for batteries, renewable energy infrastructure, and high-tech manufacturing.
According to the African Development Bank, the continent’s mining sector contributes roughly 1.5 % of GDP directly, but with improved ESG compliance and structured investment, this could more than double through value addition and industrialization.
The IMC 2025, organized by the Federation of Mineral Industry of Morocco (FDIM) and AME Trade Ltd with backing from the Ministry of Energy Transition & Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, convened a cross-section of stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.
Read also: The wins and loses for Africa at COP30 from its conclusion
The event highlighted how Morocco’s leadership in mineral governance could serve as a template for countries seeking to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship and social inclusion. Officials emphasized that ESG compliance is no longer a peripheral concern; it has become central to accessing international capital, securing technology partnerships, and maintaining competitiveness in global supply chains.
Practical outcomes from Morocco’s adoption of the African ESG Framework are already in view. Mining companies operating in the country will now follow standardized procedures for environmental management, community engagement, and corporate accountability. This includes monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring water and land resources are sustainably managed, protecting labor rights, and integrating local suppliers into mineral processing operations.
For investors, the framework offers clarity on risk mitigation and project transparency, potentially unlocking hundreds of millions of dollars in development finance that previously remained inaccessible due to ESG uncertainty.
The Marrakech Declaration also builds on recent continental initiatives, such as the OTC-Corridor launched in December 2024 and the Call of Nairobi and Call of Nouakchott earlier in 2025, all of which underscored the urgency of crafting an Africa-centric ESG standard. These steps reflect a broader strategic trend: African nations are increasingly asserting control over how their resources are managed while engaging with international markets on equal footing.
Analysts note that by harmonizing ESG standards across the continent, African governments can reduce duplication, prevent regulatory arbitrage, and ensure that mineral wealth contributes directly to industrialization, job creation, and climate resilience.
Read also: Inside G20 Declaration: Landmark commitments on Africa’s energy, debt, and climate agenda
For Morocco, the adoption also signals an opportunity to strengthen its role as a continental hub for mining expertise and investment. With sustainable financing frameworks in place, the country can attract project developers and technology partners to local mineral value chains, enhancing both regional economic integration and domestic industrial capacity. Experts project that aligning mining practices with robust ESG standards could increase local beneficiation, create thousands of skilled jobs, and generate additional tax revenues, while ensuring environmental and social impacts are mitigated.
As Africa confronts the dual challenges of climate change and the global transition to clean energy, the African ESG Framework represents a concrete step toward aligning mineral exploitation with sustainable development goals. By integrating environmental safeguards, social equity, and governance transparency, Morocco and its African partners are establishing a model that could redefine resource management across the continent, demonstrating that responsible mining can be both economically rewarding and socially inclusive.
The framework’s adoption at IMC 2025 is more than symbolic; it is a practical instrument designed to attract investment, drive policy coherence, and accelerate the continent’s participation in the global energy and technology revolution. For Morocco, the declaration positions the nation at the forefront of Africa’s sustainable industrial evolution, while signaling to investors and policymakers that Africa’s mineral wealth can serve as a foundation for both prosperity and resilience.
Follow us on LinkedIn for more news updates: Africa Sustainability Matters
