PG Second Mining Sector Inst Strengthening TA

closed

The Second Mining Sector Institutional Strengthening Technical Assistance Project for Papua New Guinea development objective is to improve the benefits from Extractive Industries (EI) to the national budget and to mining affected communities and to mitigate mining's health and safety risks for artisan and small-scale mining (ASM) miners. This will be achieved through improving effectiveness of key E1 sector institutions, supporting E1 communities to be better able to monitor the delivery of community programs and services, empowering disadvantaged groups including women and youth in extractive industries affected areas, and improving accountability of the sector and for management and use of mining-related revenues. There are five components to the project. First component of the project is strengthening the policy and regulatory frameworks for the mining sector. Key outputs to this component will include the completion of several key policies and legislative Acts including a Sustainable Mining Development Policy, with mine closure and resettlement guidelines, and an Offshore Mining Policy and associated legislation; a Small-Scale Mining Occupational Health and Safety Act; a new Mining Safety Act; and a review of and amendments to the Mining Act 1992. The second component of the project is strengthening mining sector governance, regulation, and sustainable development outcomes. Key Outputs to this component will include internal systems for mineral resources authority (MRA), an MRA Anti-Corruption Plan, an MRA e-commerce system, a fully computerized mineral tenements management system, reduced time for issuing mining and exploration licenses, a national Geological Information System (GIs), an ASM data base, an ASM registration and identity card system. The third component of the project is improving revenue collection and audits of the sector. This component will support the establishment of four E1 tax audit teams, two with a main focus on high priority, complex audits and two for less complex audits with a strong focus on staff training. The fourth component of the project is strengthening the foundations for a conflict-free mining sector in Bougainville. Key outputs to this component include transitional arrangements (to facilitate granting o f exploration and mining licenses until mining powers are transferred to ABG), issuance of exploration and mining licenses for Bougainville, and a Bougainville Sustainable Mining Policy. The fifth component of the project is project management. This component is MRA's special projects unit (SPU) staff, who will be supported to monitor, supervise, and provide technical and administrative management control of the project.