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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY H.E DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA, CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION AT THE AFRICAN MINING INDABA MINISTERIAL SYMPOSIUM

3RD FEBRUARY 2014, CAPE TOWN

Programme Directors
Honorable Minister of Mineral Resources of the Republic of South Africa and host of the Symposium, Ms. Susan Shabangu,
Your Excellencies, African Ministers and Government Officials
Representatives from the Chambers of Mines, Mining Companies, Financiers and Investors
Representatives from the UNECA, the World Bank and other international organisations
Your Excellency, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry and other AU Commission officials
Distinguished speakers and panelists

Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure and honor for me to be amongst you at this great 2nd Ministerial Symposium and part of the 20th Investing in Africa Mining Indaba.
My appreciation, therefore to the conveners and organizers of this event, for the invitation to give this keynote address, on behalf of the African Union.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
The mining sector, along with other natural resource sectors, remains critical to African development, and has been an important contributor to growth on the continent over the last decade.
In fact, it would not be an understatement to say that Africa’s mineral resources defined its relationship with the rest of the world, for at least the last few centuries, and thus the recurrent references to scrambles for Africa.
The importance of Africa’s energy, metallic and non-metallic minerals was recognized during the early days of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, in its Charter adopted in 1963 and its subsequent Commodities Task Force established in the 1970’s after the oil crisis.
Fifty years later, many of the issues problematized by the post-independent generations remain with us today, and we are resolute that they must and should be addressed.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
It is amongst the huge ironies of the sector, that according to the Mckinsey report Reverse the curse; maximizing the potential of resource driven economies of December 2013, that
“69% of people in extreme poverty are in resource-driven countries and that almost 80% of countries whose economies have historically been driven by resources have per capita income levels below the global average.”

This is a situation that must be untenable to us all, to governments and international organisations as much as it should be to the mining executives, financiers, investors and professionals gathered here at this indaba.

The African conversation about its much needed and urgent political, social and economic transformation, and the vision and roadmap for this transformation which we call Agenda 2063, therefore includes the critical discussion about mining and other natural resources sectors.
The end result of this transformation process should be an integrated, prosperous and people-centered Africa, at peace with itself and taking its rightful place in the world. I hope this Symposium and Indaba will address its contribution this vision.
The issues in the mining sector are known, as outlined in the African Mining Vision, adopted in February 2009. But let me raise some of the critical issues in this vision, which our conversation today should interrogate.
Firstly, the aspirations of the African people are simple: for a continent with shared prosperity, where they are not paupers, whilst the riches are taken from soil and bowels of the African earth, often with their own sweat, blood and efforts, and are shipped elsewhere. African people’s aspirations are that this situation must change.
Central to the African Mining Vision is therefore the development of the sector on the continent, out of the enclaves, into a sector that can “catalyze and contribute to the broad-based growth and development of, and is fully integrated into, a single African market.” This means that we have to get serious, and do work sector by sector, and region by region on the building of down-stream linkages into mineral beneficiation and manufacturing and up-stream linkages into mining capital goods, consumables and services industries.
We have recently seen the initiatives taken by Botswana (and Namibia) with regards to the diamonds sector, and we need to ensure that this becomes indeed an African initiative and a new global hub for the diamond trade, since Africa accounts for over halve of the global share of diamond production.
African countries must also look at other minerals where it accounts for over 25% of global production, such as cobalt, the platinum group of metals, manganese and phosphate or where it can build regional value chains around particular minerals, such as the Eastern Congo, north-eastern Angola and Zambia’s copper belt or with minerals such as bauxite.
Africa is also a large producer of the mineral Columbite-tantalite (or coltan, the colloquial African term) and as the second fastest growing cell phone market in the world, also needs to look at this sector, as producers rather than as consumers only.
We often talk about African growth being driven by demand for its commodities in Asia and other parts of the world, but as our economies reach the critical tipping point of sustained 7% and above growth, with greater diversification and industrialization, and with our population set to reach two billion by 2050, we must also pay attention to stimulating and meeting domestic African demand.
A second critical issue raised in the African Mining Vision, ladies and gentlemen, is the “side-stream linkages into infrastructure (power, logistics and transport; communications, water) and skills, research and technology development”.
We know mining companies by the nature of their business have expertise and capacity in all of these areas. We also know the infrastructure backlogs on the continent, which remain a major challenge to industrialization and trade amongst African countries.
The next session will look at PPPs, and will no doubt address this issue, but let me just say that we have to pool our capabilities, capacities and resources, and have a shared approach towards infrastructure: in planning, in implementation, in funding and in usage.
Given the enormity of the backlog, we should move away from building infrastructure only for one purpose, whether it is power generation and distribution capacity for a mine, whilst the communities and villages surrounding the mine are still in the dark. A good example is the new pipeline that transports gas between Nigeria and Algeria, where there are also plans for a Trans-Saharan highway on the same route. When we also look at the construction of new railways, to transport coal and other minerals to the coast, it must as well provide transport for agricultural goods and passengers. This requires partnerships of mutual respect and working together, between governments and the private sector.
In the same vein, for Africa to industrialize, eradicate poverty and to provide hope for its young generations, it needs a skills revolution. Here too governments and the mining sector should work together, identifying the skills required by industry and working together on providing education and training, artisanal and technology development, as well as research.
The mining sector does not exist in isolation from other sectors of the economy. Africa, for example, is resolved to play a much greater part in the Blue economy and in its oceanic resources, including the ownership of ships under African flags. Mining companies are important customers in this regard, and should work with us towards the development of the African shipping sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen, taking place parallel to the Mining Indaba here in Cape Town, is also a meeting of trade unions from across the world and the African continent, that organize workers in the mining and energy sectors. We can and should therefore not avoid talking about the issues of health and safety, of gender and ethnically inclusive and environmentally-friendly mining sector, that pays living and decent wages.
Closely related to this is the building of an African mining sector that harness the potential of artisanal and small-scale mining to stimulate local and national entrepreneurship, improve livelihoods and advance integrated rural social and economic development. There are many parts of our continent where small scale and artisanal miners, men and women, toil away in the most hazardous of conditions.
When we therefore talk about skills and technology transfer and infrastructure development, we also should look at how we can assist these communities and individuals to increase safety standards and increase their productivity.
These matters are critical towards eradicating poverty, building shared prosperity, and the development of new markets on the continent for the products we now export.
The African Mining Vision also calls for the continent to develop a comprehensive knowledge of its mineral endowments, it is often said that we not only live through an age of a new scramble for Africa, but a new age of exploration, since so much of African resources have not yet been explored. The institutions established by the Mining Vision, such as the African Minerals Development Centre, are therefore critical to this process, and yet another area of partnership.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the issue of resources rents is a huge part of the debate about transformation, both its collection and allocation. Many African countries with mineral resources have and are reviewing their policy frameworks and legislation, to look at such issues as ownership, incentives, contracts, royalties and taxes in the sector, many in the context of their national development plans.
There are models and best practices globally on all these matters, but these are being indigenized to address Africa’s specific challenges and our stage of development. The mining sector, rather than seeing this as risk and insecurity, should see it as an opportunity to help shape shared prosperity, a growing African middle class and industry, and therefore greater demand for their goods.
At the end of March this year, African Ministers of Finance and Planning will receive a report from the High Level Panel on illicit capital flows from the continent. Initial findings from the research done by the panel chaired by former President Mbeki indicate that most of the illicit outflows of capital from Africa, are not as a result of corrupt politicians as popular wisdom has it, but by companies who evade taxes, under-declare, inflate their costs and other illegal ways of avoiding paying African countries what are due to them in rents. In fact, the amounts taken out of the continent in this manner, is much higher than what Africa receives in development aid. We hope that the mining sector will work with us in ensuring that the recommendations to stop these practices from the High-level panel are implemented, and that African capital is directed towards African development.
In the same vein, our work around ensuring transparency in contracts, building capacity for contract negotiations and building accountable governance to ensure that the African citizenry can see the results and impact of the rents and taxes from our mineral resources, is as critical as effective collection of rents and taxes from these resources.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Since the adoption of the African Mining Vision five years ago, much progress has been made, but we need a much stronger and concerted push for transformation on all the issues we’ve raised above.
I know that many countries and regional economic communities are doing work around this area, and we must learn from each other’s experiences and pool our capacities. We do know the WHAT of the things we must do in the sector, it is the HOW and BY WHEN that we should pay greater attention to.
As Africa therefore develops its Agenda 2063, which will be finalized by July this year, we invite the mining sector in its great diversity to contribute towards this process.
We should not bequeath to the next and future generations, the same challenges that we our forebears spoke about fifty years ago, and that we are still talking about today. Future generations, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren must discuss different issues. We have a great opportunity to do this. The UN in its Millennium Declaration at the start of this century stated that African development is the greatest challenge faced by the world and indeed that this century should be dedicated to African development. To build this African century, Africa must modernize and industrialize, must silence the guns, must skill its people and build its infrastructure.
We do not want to be a generation of missed opportunities. I therefore wish the Symposium fruitful deliberations.

THE DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

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ADDRESS TO THE OPENING OF
THE TWENTY SECOND ORDINARY SESSION
OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION

Addis Ababa, 30 January 2014

Your Excellency, Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chairman of the African Union,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Your Excellency, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I bring you best wishes from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who deeply values the strategic partnership between the African Union and the United Nations. Together with our colleagues at the UN he is committed to the success of this partnership.

Today, I will briefly speak about how the African Union and the United Nations can work together to address pressing crises and to build on Africa’s progress to also promote our global development agenda. The world needs this continent’s vitality, entrepreneurship and diversity.

As the rest of the world struggles to recover from the economic crisis, we meet at a time of advancement and impressive growth for Africa.

Now this growth should be translated into transformative economic development, more jobs, greater equality and better living conditions.

The United Nations is your unwavering partner in this pursuit.

The AU Agenda 2063 can serve to mobilize Africa to fulfil its potential, in fitting tribute to the OAU/AU jubilee.

Africa has already made major strides towards the Millennium Development Goals, especially on education, maternal and child health, and on gender equality.

But many MDG targets remain lagging.

L’agriculture et la sécurité alimentaire, qui est le thème du Sommet de cette année, sont essentielles à la réalisation des objectifs de réduction de la pauvreté et des OMD en Afrique.
Je salue vos efforts dans le domaine de la lutte contre l’insécurité alimentaire qui s’inscrivent dans le cadre du Programme détaillé pour le développement de l’agriculture africaine. Je me félicite de l’engagement de l’Union africaine en faveur des initiatives Défi Faim zéro et Renforcer la nutrition.

Alors que nous célébrons l’Année de l’agriculture et de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique, je rends hommage aux gouvernements qui ont intégré la promotion de l’égalité des sexes au sein de leurs politiques de sécurité alimentaire.

Promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes est un moyen pour l’Afrique de réaliser tout son potentiel agricole, et de promouvoir le développement durable et la justice sociale.

Je suis choqué par la mort atroce de nombreux migrants africains, comme on a pu le voir l’an dernier au large des cotes de Lampedusa ou dans le désert du Niger. Ces êtres humains méritent toute notre compassion et doivent pousser tous les pays concernés à faire un examen de conscience et à agir.

Investir davantage dans l’enseignement, la santé, la technologie, l’innovation et l’entreprenariat permettra d’accélérer le développement sur tout le continent et d’offrir de nouvelles opportunités.

La désertification, les conditions climatiques extrêmes et les catastrophes naturelles sont autant de phénomènes qui peuvent remettre en cause les avancées réalisées par l’Afrique.

I welcome the strong African voices for an ambitious climate agreement in 2015. I encourage African participants at the Secretary-General’s September 23rd climate summit to present bold ideas on mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

I am proud to be joined at this Summit by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoys on Climate Change, John Kufuor, former President of Ghana, and Jens Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway.

Africa has shown admirable leadership in the post-2015 process, not least through the continued active and skilled engagement of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. I applaud the emerging African Common Position’s focus on structural transformation and inclusive economic growth.

There is hardly any higher priority for the United Nations than tangible and sustainable development in Africa. We support African-owned and African-led efforts to achieve this objective.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Peace, development and human rights as well as the rule of law are inextricably linked.

Conflict-shattered economies can take a quarter of a century to recover.

The United Nations aims to deepen our partnership with the AU Peace and Security Architecture.

While more work needs to be done, we have already seen positive results in a number of crises, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Somalia.

As I returned to Mogadishu after more than 20 years last year, I noted the remarkable progress, and felt new hope and resilience. At this crossroads for Somalia, we all have a responsibility to ensure that state- and peace-building move forward.

Like you, I remain deeply concerned about South Sudan. Our combined efforts should now focus on protecting civilians, preventing gross violations of human rights and facilitating humanitarian assistance. I urge the parties to strictly adhere to the cessation of hostilities agreement signed last week, and to intensify their efforts for reconciliation and domestic peace. The UN warmly commends and supports the mediation efforts of IGAD.

La situation en République centrafricaine nous préoccupe tous au plus haut point. Notre objectif commun doit être de mettre un terme aux affrontements atroces qui opposent les communautés chrétiennes et musulmanes, et de restaurer les relations harmonieuses qui ont existé pendant si longtemps entre ces deux communautés. Nous devons agir sans délai pour prévenir de nouvelles atrocités.

Pour l’heure, notre priorité immédiate doit être de soutenir la MISCA, qui manque sérieusement de fonds. J’encourage tous les États Membres de l’ONU à être généreux lors de la conférence d’annonce de contributions qui se tiendra ce samedi.

Je me félicite de notre engagement conjoint a faire respecter les droits de l’homme et salue a ce titre le fait que l’Union africaine ait dépêché des observateurs au Mali et en République centrafricaine pour aider à y faire respecter les droits de l’homme. De son côté, le Secrétaire général vient d’annoncer la formation d’une commission d’enquête internationale sur les violations commises en République centrafricaine.

Je salue l’initiative prise par l’Union africaine de créer une commission d’enquête sur les violations des droits de l’homme commises durant le conflit au Soudan du Sud. Ce ne sont là que quelques exemples de l’action que nous menons en commun pour lutter contre l’impunité et prévenir la commission de nouveaux crimes.

Toutefois, nos efforts collectifs pâtissent d’un manque de ressources. Je me fais l’écho de l’appel à contribution lancé par l’Union africaine pour financer ses opérations de soutien à la paix. J’invite également les donateurs à soutenir l’action menée pour prévenir, gérer et résoudre les conflits.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

As we address crises facing African countries, we celebrate Africa’s impressive progress.

I was inspired by hearing the AU anthem today. Its call for Africans to work together for lasting peace and justice resonates deeply with the UN.

The United Nations stands firmly at the side of the African Union and its Member States as you advance for the benefit of all the people of this great continent, offering them a better future and a life of dignity.

Thank you.
Dates:
Jan.30.2014

Statement by H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission at the Occasion of the African World Heritage Fund/African Union Side Event 31 January 2014 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Your Excellency, Mr. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union
Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, leaders of Delegations
Members of the Executive Council and Ministers
Your Excellency, Deputy-Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Getachew Engeda
Your Excellency, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission Mwencha, Commissioner Kalako and Commissioners
Mr. Sibusiso Xaba, Chairperson of the Board of the African World Heritage Foundation, Director General of the South African Department of Arts and Culture and Co-host of this event
Board Members, the CEO and Staff of the African World Heritage Foundation
Representatives of the Private sector,
Ladies and Gentlemen
A warm welcome to this historic event and to the AU Headquarters.
Ethiopia is a perfect place to share views on the status of Africa’s World Heritage Sites, with nine out of eighty-eight African sites situated here: the rock hewn churches of Lalibela, Simien National Park, Axum, Konso Cultural Landscape, Fasil Ghebbi, Lower Valley of the Awash, the Lower Valley of the Omo, Tiyah, and the fortified Historic town of Harar Jugoi. I hope you will find the time to visit and experience these sites. I already visited Lalibela and Axum, so still seven more to visit!
The African World Heritage Foundation (AWHF) was founded by the AU, based on decisions taken at the First African Union Conference of Ministers of Culture in Nairobi in 2005 and endorsed by the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit, held in Khartoum in 2006.
The Fund was created to address African challenges in the implementation of the 1972 Convention on the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage; the under-representation of African sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List; and the need to strengthen the conservation and management strategies and practices at our African sites.
The showcasing of and investments in Africa’s heritage is also critical to the growth of the tourism industry, a sleeping giant, which also faces infrastructure and resource challenges like other sectors. This situation must change, we must adopt measures that accord dignity and respect to our sites.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentleman,
African World Heritage sites transcend national boundaries, for example, the Mosi-oa- Tunya/Victoria Falls that straddles Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Great Nile Valley and The Maloti Drakensberg Trans-boundary World Heritage Site. In terms of natural heritage Africa blazes the trail by negating the colonial barriers that restricted the free movement of wildlife.
This saw the merging of two great parks into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and we support it’s listing as the home of the earliest inhabitants of our continent - the San People.
The African World Heritage Fund initiated several capacity-building programmes devoted to the nomination and conservation of World Heritage sites on the African Continent. As a result, 12 new African sites were nominated into the World Heritage List and over 40 conservation projects, as well as emergency assistance, have been financed by the Fund.
The urgent need to safeguard cultural heritage during conflict (such as was the case in Mali), as well as the on-going threats from mining and development activities across the Continent, underscores the increasing need for the Fund to support risk management training programmes and provide more funding for conservation efforts.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
We walk in the footsteps of Pan African giants such as Wangari Maathai, who showed us in tireless and varied ways - how to nurture and sustain our beautiful land.
African landscapes are more than just tourist attractions, they inspire our novelists, songwriters and poets who penned unforgettable texts and lyrics about its beauty. It has been celebrated with the unbelievable panoramas of our century old rock art paintings.
Mauritius termed the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Cote d’ Ivoire our little piece of paradise, and Benin the birthplace of Voodoo, enjoy the status of being in this prestigious list. Namibia and Lesotho have answered the call for increasing the number of registered sites on the list. Algeria’s beautiful sites stretch majestically from the Mediterranean to Central Sahara.
I have therefore the honour to seek your support or the implementation of the programmes of the Fund, so that it can prosper in fulfilling its goals. A great number of our State Parties have generously supported the African World Heritage Fund in creative ways and we thank you for this continued generosity and solidarity. We also thank UNESCO for its tireless support.
Excellencies
Let me at this point encourage Member States, who have not ratified the 1972 World Heritage Convention, to enlist our treasures in the World Heritage register. The African World Heritage Foundation was formed to support and enhance your efforts to achieve that.
As we embark on the implementation of Agenda 2063, we must also ratify the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, the guardian and promoter of our heritage, shared values and traditions.
My final task, an exciting task, is to launch a magnificent publication, fresh from the press entitled – World Heritage Sites in Africa.
Let us support the cause of the African World Heritage Fund, and the cause of Pan Africanism and Renaissance. We may grow our economies and solve our social problems, but our cultural growth is our soul, Africa should not neglect her soul.

I THANK YOU

Opening remarks to the Opening session of Retreat of the Executive Council by HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Bahir Dar, 24-26 January 2014
Your Excellency, Dr. Tedros, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the Executive Council
Your Excellencies Foreign Ministers and Members of the Executive Council
Dr. Carlos Lopez, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Honorable President of the Amhara National Region State
Excellencies, Chairperson and Members of the PRC and Officials from the Capitals
Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, HE Erastus Mwencha and fellow Commissioners,
AU Commission staff
Ladies and Gentlemen

We sincerely thank our host country, the Honourable Minister for bringing outside of Addis Ababa, to this beautiful part of Ethiopia. Our appreciation to the authorities, the Honourable Mayor and his team, for welcoming us to Bahir Dar and the Amhara national region state and for the hospitality extended to us.
Bahir Dar is a living testimony that the growth and development recorded by Ethiopia over the last few years are not only restricted to the capital, but touches all corners of the country. Indeed the country as a whole is moving towards the target set in its National Development plan of reaching middle-income status by 2025. We congratulate the people of this city and region for these efforts, which can serve as an example for many regions of our continent.
Excellencies
Retreats such as these, especially at the level of the Executive Council, have been used to discuss issues pertinent to our continent that are complex and required in-depth and innovative reflection.
Having just emerged from the collective reflections on Pan Africanism and African Renaissance that grounded our Golden Jubilee celebrations, as we look ahead towards the next fifty years, we again have the opportunity to revisit some of the debates, in a more relaxed and convivial atmosphere.
Excellencies, retreats take place under different conditions from formal meetings. It must, therefore, provide space for all of us to step out of our comfort zones, and to think and indeed dream about our continent.
We are gathered in a retreat of the Executive Council to reflect on a critical matter before the Union and our people – about the future we want, the Agenda 2063. This retreat comes after a year of robust consultations with civil society on the future they want.
As Foreign Ministers of our countries and indeed as citizens of this great continent, we may well share some of the aspirations articulated by civil society.
At the same time, the Executive Council is an important collective body of opinion within the Union, which in its composition and outlook embodies the aspirations of Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance, coupled with a bird’s eye view of Africa’s place in the world.
The decision of the Chairperson of the Executive Council to have this retreat is therefore well-timed: to enable this august body to add its collective contribution towards the Africa we want and the milestones we must set towards this end.
In conclusion, I hope our contributions will be free- flowing, frank, inspirational, daring, challenging and provocative. The contributions are not national or official positions as such, but must be contributions that will inspire us towards the Africa we want, that is integrate, peaceful and prosperous.
I wish the retreat fruitful deliberations and interesting outcomes.
Dates:
Jan.24.2014