»» Rising from the vast desert sands of northern Mauritania is Kinross Gold’s mining concession, Tasiast, an open-pit gold mine located 300 kilometers north of the country’s capital Nouakchott. Tasiast means ‘place of thirst’ in the local vernacular, aptly describing this sparsely populated region peopled by just a few nomadic camel herders and their families.

Tasiast is Mauritania’s only gold mine and IT’S AFRICA’S TIME visited it to explore this public-private partnership and the impact it is having on Mauritania and its people. Mostly, we went to investigate how Kinross Gold has committed itself to and is enacting responsible mining and strong corporate citizenry in the region.

There’s no doubt that a mining concession brings huge benefits to a country and its GDP through taxes & concession fees. However, beyond this, job creation and the up-skilling of local Mauritanians is a priority with Tasiast targeting 90% of its workforce from areas surrounding the mine and from across the country. Also at play is the setting up of procurement partnerships with communities in the region and committing to best practice international environmental standards.

Don’t miss a fascinating trip into the desert, travelling into a space of new possibility, where modernity and ancient cultures cross paths and work together to create a better life for all.