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AfrElec COAL AfrElec

Botswana begins coal

exports through Maputo

BOTSWANA BOTSWANA has exported its first train-load of travelled 500 km from the Chicualacuala border
coal via the port of Maputo in Mozambique as it in Gaza province to the port.
aims to take advantage of high global coal prices. In the first phase, Abudo said that Botswana
The first train, which features 40 wagons and aims to export 32,000 tonnes of coal through
was loaded with 2,000 tonnes of coal, local media Maputo every month, amounting to an average
in Mozambique reported. of four trains every week.
The export of coal by rail is the result of the Abudo added that, because of the recent
agreements reached during the talks between increase in international coal prices, it is likely
President Filipe Nyusi and his Botswana coun- that other coal mining countries in the region
terpart, Mokgweetsi Masisi, during the State visit may seek the Mozambican ports to export their
by President Nyusi to Botswana earlier in April. minerals.
The Executive Director of Mozambique’s As well as Botswana, Abudo said that
publicly owned Ports and Railway Company Maputo has sporadically received commodities
(CFM), Augusto Abudo, said that the train from both Zambia and the Democratic Republic
arrived in Maputo after travelling for 14 hours of Congo. ™
along the rail lines of Botswana, Zimbabwe, and
Mozambique.
Within Mozambican territory, the train
Botswana plans to supply

Europe with 1mn tpy of coal

BOTSWANA BOTSWANA has received multiple inquiries to the same interview that the demand was typ-
supply coal to Europe, Mining Weekly reported ically 50,000 tonnes per month, and Botswana
on May 11. According to President Mokgweetsi could meet that demand. According to Moagi,
Masisi, the demand from Western countries there were also other inquiries about long-term
could top 1mn tonnes per year (tpy), as the Rus- contracts. He said they were looking at a com-
sia-Ukraine war compels Europe to turn more to bined demand from individual countries of
Africa for energy resources. about 1mn tpy of coal.
In an interview with Reuters in Cape Town, According to Reuters, coal prices have more
where he was a key speaker at the Mining Ind- than doubled since the start of 2022. Mining
aba conference, Masisi confirmed Botswana’s companies are trying to pump up production to
intention to export coal to Europe. The demand benefit from high prices, even as there is mount-
both from governments and the private sector in ing pressure on companies and countries to stop
Europe could reach more than 50,000 tonnes per using high-polluting coal.
month, Masisi said. President Masisi recognised the need for all
Botswana’s current coal production is limited, parties to reduce carbon emissions in line with
and it is mostly exported to neighbouring coun- the Paris Agreement on climate change. “Clearly,
tries. However, there are plans to increase output, there will be some responsibility arrangements
Reuters reported. in how to use the coal so that we don’t cause a lot
Lefoko Moagi, Minister of Mineral Resources, of pollution,” he said.™
Green Technology and Energy Security, said in

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