By Abbas Nazil
Three more African countries—Mauritius, Mozambique, and the Republic of the Congo—have officially backed a precautionary pause on deep-sea seabed mining, expanding the continent’s opposition to deep-ocean mineral exploitation during international negotiations in Kingston, Jamaica.
These additions bring the total number of African nations supporting a moratorium to six, joining Malawi, Kenya, and Madagascar.
Worldwide, 46 countries now advocate for a pause or complete moratorium on deep-sea mining activities.
The movement directly impacts negotiations hosted by the International Seabed Authority, the United Nations-mandated body tasked with regulating ocean floor activities in international waters.
Delegates from these developing coastal and land-linked nations emphasized the need for a strict precautionary approach under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea before any commercial mining operations commence.
Uncertainty regarding the long-term environmental, social, and economic consequences on fragile deep-sea ecosystems serves as the primary driver behind the expanding coalition.
African delegates pointed to severe climate vulnerabilities, such as destructive tropical storms and cyclones, as primary reasons to preserve intact marine habitats and prioritize ocean resilience over commercial extraction.
The targeted resources consist primarily of polymetallic nodules resting on the abyssal ocean floor, which contain high concentrations of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese—minerals heavily sought after for battery production and green energy infrastructure.
The political shift coincides with broader governance changes at the International Seabed Authority, where Kenya recently secured its first seat on the key 36-member decision-making council.
African nations currently hold 10 total seats on the governing council, granting the regional bloc significant combined voting leverage in ongoing debates surrounding environmental safeguards, binding exploitation regulations, and financial benefit-sharing frameworks.
By demanding more comprehensive scientific research before any commercial permits are issued, these nations aim to prevent irreversible damage to deep-ocean ecosystems while ensuring global ocean governance accounts for the interests of climate-vulnerable states.
