NOTICIAS

(ENG) Key Meeting with the Minister of Mining: National Lithium Strategy and the Unresolved Dialogue with Communities

Key Meeting with the Minister of Mining: National Lithium Strategy and the Unresolved Dialogue with Communities

This past Tuesday, January 7, at the Provincial Presidential Delegation of El Loa in Calama, a meeting was held between the Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, her team, and representatives of Indigenous communities involved in the consultation process regarding the Special Lithium Operation Contracts (CEOL) for the Ollagüe and Ascotán salt flats as part of the National Lithium Strategy. The Andean Wetlands Alliance, comprised of Fundación Tantí and the NGO Defensa Ambiental, supported the communities, particularly the Quechua community of Ollagüe, to strengthen their participation in this process.

“We are here to support Indigenous communities involved in these processes, aiming to ensure that their participation is informed and impactful throughout. This is especially important as the state moves forward with initial steps for exploring and exploiting high-Andean salt flats,” stated Ricardo Frez, director of NGO Defensa Ambiental.

The meeting saw active participation from Indigenous communities of Cosca, Cebollar, Ollagüe, and Puquios. During the session, questions were addressed, concerns raised, and the scope of the Indigenous consultation process clarified. Additionally, the communities expressed their worries about the information provided so far regarding the CEOL. Other related processes were also discussed, along with possible future scenarios for implementing the National Lithium Strategy, particularly in the Ollagüe and Ascotán salt flats. “Since nothing is certain, this Indigenous consultation is, so to speak, participatory but not binding. Indigenous consultations should start from scratch, beginning with the definition of the salt flats,” said Thelma Ramos, a board member of the Quechua community of Ollagüe.

From the perspective of the communities and environmental organizations, the National Lithium Strategy has significant shortcomings. Prioritizing production criteria over ecological ones, the lack of a comprehensive approach to assess impacts on the ecosystems of the salt flats, and insufficient transparency in information sharing hinder progress towards a development model that respects the environment and local communities. “These are salt flats excluded from the Protected Salt Flats Network but are located in Indigenous territories whose communities have the right to free, prior, and informed consent,” said Ramón Balcázar, director of Fundación Tantí.

This Indigenous consultation process represents a crucial moment to rethink the National Lithium Strategy. Communities and organizations within the Andean Wetlands Alliance call on authorities to guarantee the right to self-determination of Indigenous peoples and to prioritize effective protection of the salt flats in line with current regulations and regional and international agreements, such as the Escazú Agreement and ILO Convention 169.