Akobo Minerals has engaged Sazani Associates to perform the company’s first ESG study with the intention of developing a Sustainable Natural Resource Management Plan (SNRMP) within 6 months. This week, Sazani will begin a situation analysis which identifies the risks and opportunities related to gold mining at the Akobo project. In the coming months the ESG program will include the development of a stakeholder engagement framework, rural development plan, and planning a payment for ecosystem services scheme. Simultaneously, Sazani’s work will provide vital input into the Scoping Study of our high-grade Segele deposit.

Akobo believes that successful mining involves a deep understanding of our relationships with the communities and our effect on ecosystems. This partnership with Sazani is the start of developing actionable plans to ensure than mining can be carried out in the most sustainable manner possible.

CEO of Akobo Minerals Jørgen Evjen has this to say;

“ Finally being able to start our work on ESG in field is an important milestone for us in order to look at the long term perspective and impact of our work in Akobo. So far we have supported local communities with general infrastructure work, school supplies such as desks and chairs, and also equipment for the local football teams. With Cathryn and Sazani on board we will be able to plan for long term sustainable projects allowing for support and partnership with local communities. I am looking forward to work with Cathryn and her team, and learning from their previous experience in assisting all stakeholders involved and affected by mineral exploration.”

Dr Cathryn MacCallum, ESG specialist and Director of Sazani Associates, a not for profit technical support consultancy, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting Akobo Minerals to incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations as they move forwards with their gold exploration project”

Sazani Associates is a highly reputable ESG specialist firm, with competence in working for the benefit of all parts – industry, financial owners and local communities. Dr Cathryn MacCallum is a founding member and director of Sazani Associates. She is an experienced and skilledsocio-economist with a PhD in sustainable livelihoods and global learning. For more than 25 years she has developed integrated approaches to diversifying sustainable livelihoods and has provided extensive technical support and advice to poverty reduction and education projects across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and MENA. This has involved facilitation of multi-sectoral partnerships, managing and co-ordinating DFID, EU, UNDP, UNESCO and FAO-supported initiatives, as well as corporate social development initiatives. She has demonstrated abilities in all aspects of social analysis, engagement, curriculum planning and management, together with critical application of International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards and Equator Principles to social risk governance economic resettlement, livelihoods restoration and indigenous peoples plans.

For more information contact:

Jørgen Evjen, CEO 

Mob.: (+47) 92 80 40 14

Mail: jorgen@akobominerals.com

About Sazani Associates

Sazani Associates is a UK based NGO working to support sustainable livelihoods through education and training. Sazani Associates adopts and implements asset based approaches to sustainable development and global learning. Through their sister organisation, Sazani Research & Development, they provide support to the natural resource sector to identify and address social and political risk issues.

Sazani Associates has built links between schools, organisations, agencies and government departments in Wales, Zanzibar and Belize over many years, providing unique learning and sharing opportunities. Tackling global poverty and inequality and learning to live sustainably is increasing important given the shrinking world we live in. As experienced practitioners, Sazani Associates take global social responsibility very seriously and through their unique relationship with the communities they work with and share their experiences and help others make real connections to turn Global Social Responsibility into an opportunity.

About Akobo Minerals:

Akobo Minerals, a Norway-based gold exploration company, currently with ongoing exploration in the Akobo region in southwest Ethiopia through its wholly owned Ethiopian subsidiary Etno Mining Plc. The operations were established in 2009 by people with long experience from the public mining sector in Ethiopia and from the Norwegian oil service industry. Akobo Minerals holds an exploration license over key targets in the area. To date placer production and exploration work have outlined alluvial gold resources, and our team of geologists have worked extensively over the last 11 years to identify several potential primary gold targets. The drilling program initiated at the end of 2019 and continued through 2020 has so far shown exceptionally high-grade gold results. 

Important information:

This release is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States or any other jurisdictions where it would be illegal. It is issued for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities, in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act. Akobo Minerals does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this publication are not being, and may not be, distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.