Malawi’s mining minister Thoko Tembo has told parliament that government inspections at the Kangankunde Rare Earth project in Balaka have found no evidence of illegal mining or unauthorised mineral exports, moving to allay concerns raised by MPs over the operations of one of the country’s most closely watched extractive projects. The committee’s scrutiny reflects growing parliamentary interest in ensuring that Malawi’s nascent rare earths sector, seen as a potential source of export revenue and foreign investment, operates within a robust regulatory framework from the outset. He said government would continue to monitor the project through regular inspections involving the Ministry of Mining, the Malawi Mining Regulatory Authority and other relevant agencies, to ensure ongoing compliance with the country’s mining laws. The reassurance comes at a sensitive moment for Malawi’s mining sector, as the government seeks to position the country as a credible destination for critical minerals investment amid a global scramble for the raw materials that underpin the energy transition. Rare earths projects across Africa have drawn increasing attention from investors seeking to diversify supply chains away from China, which dominates global processing capacity.