The African Union Commission and the African Minerals Development Centre at Mining Indaba 2015

10, February 2015 – Cape Town, South Africa - As the world’s mining fraternity including the Multinational Mining Companies, international civil society, African Ministers responsible for Minerals resource development, academicians converged in Cape Town for the ‘Investing in African Mining Indaba’; the African Union Commission (AUC) led team comprising of the African Mining Vision (AMV) Implementing partners; UNECA, UNDP, NEPAD and the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) project jointly organized side events including the 3rd Ministerial Symposium, the Dinner Dialogue and a Technical Session on the implementation of the African Minerals Geoscience Initiative AMGI a.k.a. A Billion Dollar Map. The Investment in African Mining Indaba is the world’s largest mining investment conference, the world’s third largest mining conference, and Africa’s largest mining event.

The African Union Commission’s presence at the Mining Indaba has been a priority in recent years, and provides an opportunity to connect with leaders in the extractives industries in both public and private sectors while encouraging continent-wide developmental growth through mining. Adopted by African Union (AU) Heads of State in 2009 and being implemented by African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) under a joint partnership of AUC, UNDP, AfDB ABD NEPAD, the Africa Mining Vision calls for a structural transformation of the minerals sector in Africa through enhanced linkages with the local economy, increased value addition, promotion of local content and empowerment, and a judicious and prudent use of mineral revenue to build up other forms of capital that can outlast the currency of mining.

Prior to the start of this year’s Indaba, the African Union Commission, together with the World Bank and the South African Chamber of Mines, hosted the third Annual African Ministerial Symposium on Sunday 8 February as part of the African Mining Vision (AMV) Day. This was a closed-door session designed to allow sharing of experiences between mineral policy decision-makers in Africa, and has proven to be an invigorating and stimulating forum for the exchange of ideas in the previous two years. As a keynote speaker during the lunch, the Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, recalled that the tragedy of Africa has been its continuing underdevelopment in spite of the abundance of its natural resources. She indicated that the Commission has come up with the Agenda 2063 to address and resolve the issue of poverty in a comprehensive manner. “We have adopted the “Agenda 2063” as an approach to how the continent should effectively learn from the lessons of the past, build on the progress now underway and strategically exploit all possible opportunities available in the immediate and medium term, so as to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation within the next 50 years”, she mentioned.
The Commissioner reiterated that the Africa Mining Vision is a shared responsibility whose implementation requires the collaboration of many actors, including private sector civil society, parliaments, funding partners and governments. She said the vision needs partnerships that are based on mutual benefits; it is not intended for advancing the interests of one or two mining companies. “We cannot promote the narrow interests of a company at the expense of mutual benefits and development. Our role is to advise African countries on what is in their best interest in relation to their own development,” she insisted.

In the spirit of continuing the conversation about the AMV, the African Union Commission also hosted a High Level Dinner Dialogue with private sector leaders in Africa under the theme: “Shared Benefits in implementing the AMV”) on Monday 9 February 2015 at Mining Indaba.

The High Level Public-Private Dinner Dialogue was attended by key players such as African Ministers responsible for Minerals Resource Development, and private sector leaders including Chief Executives operating in the Minerals Sector and Chambers of Mines. The Dinner provided a unique opportunity for dialogue between private sector, public sector, and governments on mining and the shared benefits of implementing the AMV.

At the 2014 Mining Indaba, her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma called on all at the Mining Indaba to work together, to seek “partnerships of mutual respect” to address the urgent needs of the African people and build the infrastructure the continent desperately needs.

For further information please contact: Ms. Martha Messele at MMessele@uneca.org and Patient Atcho at AtchoP@africa-union.org.