**Section302 Certifications**

I,**Clifford T. Davis, Chief Executive Officer** of **Nevsun Resources Ltd.**certify that:

| 1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form40-F of**Nevsun Resources Ltd.** |
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| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does notcontain any untrue statement of a material factor omit to state a material factnecessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the periodcovered by this report; |
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| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the financialstatements, and other financial information included in this report, fairlypresent in all material respects the financial condition, results of operationsand cash flows of the issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in thisreport; |
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| 4. | The issuer's other certifying officer(s) andI are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls andprocedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d- 15(e)) andinternal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules13a- 15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the issuer and have: |
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|   | (a) | Designedsuch disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material informationrelating to the issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known tous by others within those entities, particularly during the period in whichthis report is being prepared; |
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|   | (b) | Designedsuch internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal controlover financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to providereasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and thepreparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance withgenerally accepted accounting principles; |
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|   | (c) | Evaluatedthe effectiveness of the issuer's disclosure controls and procedures and presentedin this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controlsand procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on suchevaluation; and |
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|   | (d) | Disclosedin this report any change in the issuer's internal control over financialreporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that hasmaterially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the issuer'sinternal control over financial reporting; and |
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| 5. | The issuer's other certifying officer(s) andI have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control overfinancial reporting, to the issuer's auditor and the audit committee of theissuer's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
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|   | (a) | Allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adverselyaffect the issuer's ability to record, process, summarize and report financialinformation; and |
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|   | (b) | Anyfraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees whohave a significant role in the issuer's internal control over financialreporting. |
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Dated:**March 29, 2012**

| By: | */s/ Clifford T. Davis*Name: **Clifford T. Davis**Title: **Chief Executive Officer** |
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