14 August 2017 – Nairobi, Kenya , The 4th African Union Commission (AUC) Africa Mining Vision Technical Working Group meeting on Geological and Mineral Information opened yesterday in Nairobi.
The objective of this meeting is to review progress made in the implementation of the continental Geological information and Geoscience programmes and initiatives such as PanAfGeo, Africa Minerals Geoscience initiatives (AMGI) as well as finalize the Geological Mineral Information System (GMIS) Strategy for submission to the Specialized Technical Committee which is scheduled to take place in October/November 2017.
The Geological and Mineral Information System (GMIS) Strategy is being developed by the African Mineral Development Centre (AMDC) to facilitate the strengthening of the African production, management and dissemination of geological and mineral information (GMI) in connection with the implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV) and the attainment of the Agenda 2063 as well as sustainable development goals .
H.E Amb Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry expressed his gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Kenya and thanked the participants for honoring the invitations to attend this meeting. He highlighted that Geological information is a key element of the Africa Mining Vision. “It is, therefore, my expectation that during this meeting, you will all work towards building a more progressively continental approach on strategically harnessing geological and mineral information” he noted. Having elaborated on five potential models of financing geological and mineral information, in conclusion, he requested Member States to engage with the African Union deliberations and come up with specific and practical solutions on the key question of the establishment of Geological and Mineral Information Systems in Africa.
Representative from Kenyan Ministry of Mine, Mr. Shadrack Kimomo, Director of the Geological survey department, representative from UNECA/AMDC Mr. Paul Msoma and representative from OAGS Mr. Isaac Okorie addressed participants in his welcome remarks.
In the Margin of the Meeting, Commissioner Muchanga paid a courtesy call to the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Mining Kenya, Hon. Dan Kazungu with whom they discussed a number of pertinent issues concerning mineral resource development in Africa. H.E Commissioner briefed the Cabinet Secretary about the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) which will contribute to the development of the regional integration and regional value chain particularly mineral resources and Agro industry.
The Commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Frank Mugyenyi, Sr. Industry Advisor, Mr. Simon Tumawaku, former Minister of mines in DRC and current president of Mining Industries Association of Southern Africa (MIASA) and president of Chamber of Mine in DRC.
The meeting is expected to endorse the GMIS strategy principles and to come up with an innovative ways of financing geological survey and exploration in Africa to ensure ownership of geological information data by African Governments, establishment of the Pan-African Coordination Committee for the implementation of the GMIS and to review the scope of the African Minerals Geoscience initiatives to ensure that it covers other sectors such as water resources, renewable energy and infrastructure data are among others.
Participants at the meeting were drawn from Benin, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Comoros, Cote D’ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, representative from Chamber of Mines of Mali, Uganda and MIASA, representatives from RECs experts from UNECA/ AMDC ,UNDP , ALSF, OAGS, AMGC, independent experts of the TWG and the Directors General of Geological survey .

For more information, please contact: Mr. Frank Mugyenyi – Email: Mugyenyif@africa-union.org

Meaza Tezera, Department of Trade and Industry – Email: Meazat@africa-union.org

Media contact: Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division, AUC, E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org, Tel: +251 911 3611 85

For further information contact Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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