Key facts
Senegal's Minister of Mines, Cheikh Oumar Sèye, announced the government has launched a digital platform to combat illegal gold mining. The system tracks every miner through the digital platform and traces gold from extraction to export, aiming to address national tax losses of more than $614 million annually. Key measures include establishing a biometric identification system for all miners, focusing on the Kedougou gold-producing region, and requiring miner cooperatives to report output monthly to obtain valid transport permits.
Policy constraints
The interconnected database allows security forces and tax authorities to share production reports. The digital tracking system is designed to dismantle illegal export networks and bring tonnes of ore back into the official economy. The minister said the system will cut off opaque financing networks, and recovered revenues will be used to fund infrastructure in remote mining areas. The government is also working with the Deposit and Consignment Fund to provide credit for compliant miners, aiming to attract investment and close regulatory loopholes.