Maputo, December 14, 2013: The African Mining Vision (AMV) has unveiled a five-year comprehensive business plan developed to facilitate the establishment of the Africa Mining Development Centre (AMDC), which will provide strategic operational support for the Vision and its Action Plan.
The business plan outlines a road map with seven result areas and their expected outcomes including policy and licensing, geological and mining information systems, artisanal and small-scale mining as well as linkages, investment and diversification.
The business plan was presented at the three-day high-level conference preceding the 3rd Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development in Maputo, Mozambique.
The AMDC seeks to create a centre which will enhance the capacity of African mining countries to derive economic and social benefits from implementing the Africa Mining Vision. The centre will significantly contribute to the development of African mining economies based on consistent development-oriented mineral policies and regulatory frameworks across the continent. AMDC will be launched officially on Monday, 16 December, 2013.
The central premise of the AMV is that mineral resources can play a transformative role in Africa’s development, based on the creation of appropriate social and economic linkages. Currently there is no single organisation that links Africa’s socio-economic development to its mineral endowment, as demanded by the AMV. The AMDC is set up to fill this gap and provide a central and strategic coordinating capacity for implementing the AMV and its action plan.
The business plan covers a five-year period from 2013 to 2017. Among major activities to be undertaken by the AMDC include expanding the policy space, up-scaling geological exploration activities, improving the viability of small-scale mining, and addressing weaknesses in natural resources governance.
The business plan was developed under the guidance of Sinkinesh Ejigu, Minister of Mines of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, and Chairperson of the Bureau of the Second AU Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development. The Bureau endorsed the Business Plan at their meeting held on 9 October, 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ECA, the AUC and AfDB directly supervised the business plan development process with generous financial support from the Australian and Canadian Governments, who also funded the extensive consultations undertaken on the work areas of the African Minerals Development Centre.
Since the completion of the business plan, the Regional Bureau for Africa Office of the United Nations Development Programme (RBA-UNDP) has joined the AUC, AfDB and UNECA as an implementing technical partner.
Background:
The AMV was adopted by African Heads of States and Governments in February 2009 and directed Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources to develop a road map for implementing the vision for a transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development.
The 3rd Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers responsible for Mineral Resources Development is convening in Maputo, Mozambique to among others review the business plan for the AMDC as an institutional framework for the implementation of the AMV.
The AU Conference of Ministers will also officially launch the African Mineral Development Centre as a project on Monday 16 December.
Over 60 senior government experts in mining and natural resources development, including civil society, private sector have convened in Maputo for a high-level conference under the theme ‘Leveraging the African Mining Vision for Africa’s Renaissance: towards broader ownership. The three day high-level conference taking place between 13 and 17th December seeks to brainstorm on how African countries can design and implement effective strategies and policies through the AMV framework.
The High-level conference and AU Conference of Ministers is jointly organised by the African Union, the Republic Of Mozambique and The Economic Commission for Africa.