The European Union (EU) envoy to Ghana, Rune Skinnebach, has reiterated the bloc’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Government of Ghana in tackling illegal mining, widely referred to as galamsey.
He explained that while the EU is already engaged in multiple joint initiatives with Ghana in areas such as development assistance, security cooperation and defence support, it is still prepared to broaden its involvement, especially in efforts aimed at curbing illegal mining.
Skinnebach shared these comments after visiting several mining communities in Kyebi in the Eastern Region, where he observed the environmental and social damage caused by unlawful mining activities.
He emphasised the importance of scaling up actions that encourage sustainable mining methods while also reinforcing law enforcement systems to address the problem effectively.
“We are very willing to collaborate with Ghana on the galamsey issue. We are already involved in efforts to combat illegal mining through a number of projects, and we are ready to do even more, but always in partnership with the government,” he said.